Information Society and E-Government

The focus of this class is analysis of the social, cultural, philosophical, ethical, legal, public policy and economic issues relating to information technologies. It also explores the interaction of technological developments with social, economic, and class issues. - This course examines the social and economic impacts of computing and information technologies on groups, organizations and society.

Topics include computerization, changes in the character of work life, organizational mediation of computer-based services, social control and privacy, electronic communities, and risks of safety critical systems to people.

As a lecture, discussion course and, a broad range of topics will be covered including the use of computers in society, risks, privacy, computer crime, growth and funding of the Internet and intellectual property laws. Impact of computer technology on present and future society, including political, economic, cultural, social, and moral issues will be discussed.

As a Seminar, Students will select a topic for research throughout the semester. This class investigates the economic, legal, political, social, ethical, and professional issues that arise because of computers. Students will be required to think, research, discuss, and write about contemporary computer issues

The Internet and Society

An interdisciplinary survey of the internet. This will cover a wide range of topics dealing with the way in which the internet influences and is influenced by society. The course will be taught by a team of guest lecturers and practitioners and the course content will vary from year to year.

Some particular topics to be covered are the architecture of the internet (and the implications this has on its regulation), intellectual property, privacy, censorship, e-commerce, on-line communities, on-line education and research.

Social Issues of Computing

Topics include CMC(Computer-Mediated Communication). This course is a seminar on social/cultural approaches to information and information systems.We willstudy selected social science approaches to knowledge and knowledge communities, emphasizing the collaborative nature of knowledge; computer-mediated knowledge work; and information technology.

This course deals with the following topics: What do computers do?/ Theories about the social impact of technology/ Computers and culture Computers and education/ Computers and the Information Highway/ Computers and work/ Computers and privacy/ Computers and the law/ethics/ Computers and the social self/ Computers and stratification.

Information Users and Society

The following topics are included in this course: The impact of information and information systems, technology, practices, and artifacts on how people organize their work, interact, and understand experience.

Social issues in information systems design and management: assessing user needs, involving users in system design, and understanding human-computer interaction and computer-mediated work and communication. Use of law and other policies to mediate the tension between free flow and constriction of information.

Science, Technology, and Society

History and philosophy of science and technology since the seventeenth century. Origins of the modern scientific method in the Western world and the consolidation of the scientific world view through the scientific and industrial revolutions. Science and religion. Social, cultural, and psychological changes induced by the advent of new technologies. Historical and contemporary critical attitudes towards technology and industrial development.

Information technology and its consequences: Changes in the nature of work. How information technology influences the structure of organizations and society, management, and global economic relations.Information as property and commodity. Issues of security, privacy, reliability, and social control. Effects on human psychology, social relationships, and education. Ethical issues and professional responsibilities students may face as citizens or professionals