Information Society Policy

This course will critically examine both the common conceptions of what lies at the heart of the information society, as well as the scholarly foundations on which current conceptions of the information society rest. The term "information society" has attained the status of commonsense over much of the world. Despite its widespread acceptance, however, the term is subject to much debate and analysis, which the course will explore. The course covers key policy issues and debates of the information age, including the digital divide, intellectual property protection, security and cyber-crime, Internet governance, surveillance and privacy, among others. The course will also examine Asian perspectives and policies regarding the development of an information society.