syllabus.md

Syllabus

Instructors: Hugh Jones, Rohit Musti, Charlotte McClintock

Overview

This class will focus on governance of technology and the technology of governance. As our society becomes increasingly digitized, our tools for governance must follow suit. The full benefits of digitizing government services are potentially huge, however, there are many obstacles in the way.

Government technology is currently lagging far behind industry. A joint study between McKinsey and Oxford found that government IT projects were, “six times more likely to experience cost overruns and 20 percent more likely to run over schedule than such projects in the private sector”. We have sitting representatives asking the CEO of Google about iPhones in oversight hearings. Tech monopolies sit in a unique position of power and operate as unregulated monopolies arguing for their for their own self-regulation. We need more young people with knowledge of technology and social and political systems to create effective oversight mechanisms and efficient government technology.

Course Structure

In order to explore this topic more deeply, we will have two content focuses: tech regulation and digital governance. For the first focus of the class we will cover tech regulation, including readings from Zuboff’s “Surveillance Capitalism”. We will examine the current state of technology regulation and ask questions about how to move forward in the current political environment. For the second focus of the class will cover civic technology, focusing on readings from Eubanks’ “Automating Inequality”. We will also examine past digital government solutions, understanding their strengths, weaknesses, new opportunities, and new exposure to threats. Throughout this course, students will have an opportunity to engage with the analysis and development process, deepening their understanding of the context of digital governance and the associated challenges.

The last 6 weeks of the class will be dedicated to a solution roadmapping project. Students will pick a governance of technology or technology of governance program and propose a new model. This can take many forms, students are encouraged to submit sketches, wire-framed models, written descriptions, and may use any other mediums as appropriate to convey their idea. Students are not required to submit a functional application, but may choose to create a simplified version of the application for demonstration.

Course Goals

1. Develop an understanding of the interactions between government and technology including past trends and recent developments.
2. Think critically about the role of technology in our political landscape and engage with peers to develop informed opinions about regulation and governance.
3. Work through the creative process of designing a technological solution to a government problem.

Course Topics

• The automation of social services and the removal of the “human” element of systems
• Algorithmic bias, human bias, and the tradeoff in using algorithms to make choices
• Regulation of technology monopolies and digital space, how to regulate the unprecedented
• Free speech and the first amendment online, including the Communications Decency Act and the publisher loophole
• The GDPR as a baseline for defining user privacy rights, collective action, and distributed power
• The right to be forgotten and the right against inferential demographic attribution, where is the line?
• Estonia as a leader in digital governance, security and blockchain technology in government
• Big Tech attempts at self regulation: external ethics boards, internal IRB structures, employee protests

Grading

• 20% - By the beginning of each class, students will have submitted new media they think is relevant to the assigned media for that particular class. Bonus love/points for choosing media from non-traditional voices and spaces. Media selections should be submitted for each class by the previous Sunday at 12pm, 24 hours in advance of the class deadline. Once an article is submitted by a student through In past semesters we have used Github to handle submissions, this semester we are planning on using collab to minimize student confusion.

• 40% - Course participation - students are expected to engage with the material and their peers during the course period. Students who are uncomfortable speaking in class may send an email of their thoughts, comments and questions to the instructors. Students have one unexcused absence, and are expected to communicate with course instructors about any additional absences before the class to be missed.

• 40% - Final Project: students are expected to work in small teams to design a technological solution to an existing government problem or propose a regulatory structure for a technology problem.

Unexpected Circumstances

We know life happens sometimes. Please be communicative about any problems that come up that may affect your work in this course and we will do our best to work with you to adjust deadlines and find alternatives.

Office Hours

Email to set up an appointment!

Core Values (how we think)

• Humility: Technology is not the answer to every problem, and technologists do not have the answer to every problem. Respect and seek the expertise of service providers and people with lived experience.
• Mutuality: We are all in this together. We value others as we value ourselves.
• Service: Our work will be directed at serving our communities.
• Inclusivity: Who’s at the table shapes what is talked about, what is done, and how we think. We will include diverse perspectives and experiences in order in order to create an inclusive community.

Core Principles (how/what we do)

• Openness: Our work will be transparent wherever possible and our communities will not gate keep information or opportunity.
• Internal Consistency: Our work will be directly related to our goals and in line with our core values and principles.