Syllabus

Law: Sept.: 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26, 28 Oct.: 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 30, 31 Nov.: 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 Dec.: 4, 5, 7

Extension: Sept.: 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 Oct.: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26 Nov.: 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 29, 30 Dec.: 6, 7

LAW STUDENT SYLLABUS
EXTENSION STUDENT SYLLABUS
Monday, Sept 11. CyberStrategy for Global CitizenshipWe inhabit a rhetorical environment made of networks of human connection. Connectivity in this environment together with accessibility to low cost digital production tools offers people with limited resources opportunity to aggregate and integrate their energies and make their voices heard. Our first class will offer an opening statement setting out the trajectory of the class and giving a roadmap of the steps we will take to exemplify our cyberstrategy for becoming individual and institutional global citizens.Reading:

Assignment:

The Riddle of Three Hats

Once upon a time in a faraway land, the king wanted to marry the smartest woman in the kingdom. All women were SAT tested. Three tied with the highest possible score. The king seated these three women at a round table. He informed them that he was about to blindfold them, then would place a cap on each of their heads positioned so that, with the blindfolds removed, each would be able to see the caps on the heads of the other two but be unable to see their own. The caps would be either red or white. The king instructed, “When your blindfolds are simultaneously removed you will see two caps. If one or both of them is red you are immediately to raise your hand. When you deduce the color of the cap on your head, lower your hand, rise, announce and explain.” Then the king placed a red cap on each head and removed the blindfolds. Each of the three women raised her hand. Ten seconds passed with all three hands raised. Then the smartest of the three lowered her hand, rose, announced that the cap on her head was red, and explained. How did she do it?

 
Tuesday, Sept 12. Integrated Media Space - WikiThe wiki is a stunningly simple yet powerful example of collaborative architecture. It is both an object of our study and a tool for us to express our activism and collective identity.We will use our wiki to address the issue of how law students taking this course will be graded. In this connection please skim Nesson’s Evidence wiki, in particular the controversy about grading that was not satisfactorily resolved in that context.Guests: Elizabeth Stark, Mako Hill
Reading:

Updated! Assignments:

  • Please begin work on the week of the course that you elected to work on for the Weeks Pages of the wiki. For some of you this will be a clearer task than others, since not all readings have been specified for all week, but please feel free to email us to get more details about your week or to make suggestions of reading that you think would be appropriate if you have particular ideas. We would like to at least have discussions/summaries of the readings for all of the weeks available before the week itself so that people preparing for the week can use your Weeks Page as a resource to prepare for class. You may also want to decide (somehow) with your collaborators, how to organize your Weeks Page. It need not look like the page for Week 1. Your goal is to make it as good a resource as you can for someone who is interested in the material for the week. We recommend using the discussion tab of your Weeks Page as a place to discuss with your fellow collaborators.
  • We will be asking you to write a Feedback Journal on your experience of editing the wiki. This will encompass your collaborative editing experience of the Weeks Page as well as the rest of the course wiki. We encourage you to begin keeping notes or a journal for yourself about this since it will be a long-term experience over the course of the semester. We will be asking for Feedback Journals on each of the technologies we use in the course. The purpose of these journals will be to evaluate the characteristics of the particular technology as a medium of expression. Is it easy to use? What kind of expression does it encourage? What kind of expression does it discourage? Is it a useful tool for education? That sort of question and whatever else you find interesting about it.
 
Wednesday, Sept 13. Second Life Introduction: Getting to SLMode of Participation: Video. Please watch the “Introduction to Second Life” video posted on the lecture videos page of this website.Reading: NoneAssignments:

  • Week 1 assignments
  • The above assignment link takes you to Moodle, the courseware platform we’re using for this course. You will need a username and login in order to access the assignments. Please refer to the Moodle page of this site to find out how to get a username and login. (That page will refer you to your email in which you also have the necessary information.) If you are having trouble, PLEASE PLEASE email us immediately at harvard.cyberone@gmail.com to let us know.
  • To do this assignment you will want to watch the video introduction to Second Life and you may also want to refer to the Second Life text and screenshot introduction available on the Second Life page of our site.
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: Throughout the semester those of you in the Boston area will have access to the Harvard Extension School computer lab located at 53 Church St. in Harvard Square. This lab is equipped with a lot of good computers with fast Internet connections that are ideal for running Second Life. The Extension School lab does not open full-time until next week, but it will be open for our use on Wednesday from 6-9pm. If you come during those hours we’ll be there to help you through your work on the first assignment.
Thursday, Sept 14, CyberStrategy for Global CitizenshipWe inhabit a rhetorical environment made of networks of human connection. Connectivity in this environment together with accessibility to low cost digital production tools offers people with limited resources opportunity to aggregate and integrate their energies and make their voices heard. Our first class will offer an opening statement setting out the trajectory of the class and giving a roadmap of the steps we will take to exemplify our cyberstrategy for becoming individual and institutional global citizens.Mode of Participation: Video. Please watch the lecture entitled “CyberStrategy for Global Citizenship” on the Lecture Videos page of this website.Reading:

Assignments:

  • Write a journal about the lecture and the readings for this week in your Moodle Journal.
  • Make sure you get into Second Life as per the Week 1 assignments.
Monday, Sept 18. LAW in Cyberspace What does LAW’s teaching about the nature of disputes and the process of dispute resolution offer cyberspace? We speak of LAW here not as a body of opinions and statutes generated by national courts and legislatures in the wake of disruptive technology backed by physical force imposed through jurisdiction over person but rather of LAW as an expression of norms arising from individuals and adhered to by people excited to be part of a reasoning caring functioning growing creative transnational crosscultural global community.Readings:

  • Charles Fried, Modern Liberty, Chapter One. Link here
 
Tuesday, Sept 19. Code is Law: An Object Lesson in Code Shaping Law: Scratch ProgrammingIn this session we’ll step out of our lawyer shoes and into the shoes of the architects of cyberspace: the coders. We’ll learn how to write programs in an innovative new teaching language called Scratch. We will consider implications of our coding power.Readings: NoneAssignments:

  • Write a game or other animation of your choice in Scratch. Post your completed game on our course wiki in the Scratch Gallery. [Due date: 9/24 (note the early time, to give others a chance to try out your game!)]
  • Download and play at least two other students’ games. [Due date: 9/25]
  • In your journal write an entry about your experience programming and your experience playing other students’ games. Address the question of the relationship of code to law in your game. Were there laws that you felt constrained by in writing your code? Were there laws that you used code to enforce? How about in the other students’ games? Were there rules that you wished were enforced? Rules that you wished weren’t enforced? [Due date: 9/25]
 
Wednesday, Sept 20. LAW in Cyberspace/Architecture Shapes LawWhat constrains LAW in cyberspace? We speak of LAW here not as the body of opinions and statutes generated by national courts and legislatures in the wake of disruptive technology but rather of LAW as a supra national concept comprised of the norms, methodologies and principles by which we will live together in globally integrated media space. Dispute resolution in cyberspace requires a media-generating process which (1) includes all points of view and encompasses emotion; (2) integrates viewpoints and opposed emotions by leading people to see and feel the issues from all viewpoints; and (3) projection of the process to public integrated media space with a feedback loop that invites participation and support. Here we explore persuasion as opposed force, empathetic argument as as opposed to to combative debate, LAW as Love, the Necker Cube and the power of point of view.Mode of Participation: Video. Please watch the video entitled “LAW in CyberSpace” in the Lecture Videos section of the course website.Reading:

Assignments: Write a journal entry in your Moodle Journal responding to the lecture and readings for this week.

Thursday, Sept 21. Second Life Meet and Greet + Scavenger HuntToday’s class will be our first synchronous get-together in Second Life. It is your chance to meet your fellow students and to get comfortable using the Second Life software. You are cordially invited to join us between 9-11pm EST to meet your instructors and fellow students, ask any questions that you have, and do a little scavenger hunt that will hone your Second Life skills. If you want to get a head start on the scavenger hunt, you may come as early as 7pm to begin. However, we ask that all students be present on the island at 9pm so that we can do introductions all together.Mode of Participation: Second Life synchronous event!Reading: None.Assignments:

Monday, Sept. 25. The Court of Public Opinion Here we explore the power of narrative to give meaning, and shift in point of view as means to change it.Readings:

  • Aristotle’s Rhetoric, Homer’s Odessey
  • This webpage on rhetoric.
  • Daniel Gilbert, He Who Cast the First Stone Probably Didn’t. New York Times, July 24, 2006

Assignments:

  • Together with your group, create a Wiki page for your group. This page must include four key components, each developed substantially (where applicable):
    1. A listing of your groups members
    2. A statement of your group’s issue or topic
    3. A statement of your group’s choice of technological medium. This must include both the production technology (text, audio, video, code, machinima, etc.) and the distribution technology (wiki, blog, newspaper, radio, podcast, mp3 blog, internet video outlets, internet video/TV distribution outlets, community television, etc.)
    4. Most importantly, a substantive argument of the case from the point of view of the audience you are seeking to convince or reach.

    [Due date: 10/2]

 
Tuesday, Sept. 26. Virtual WorldsHow well will children of the future distinguish real from virtual? What does it mean to be real in cyberspace? What is the emergent law of virtual reality?Guests: Gene Koo, Rodica BuzescuReading:

Assignments:

  • Create a Second Life avatar for yourself and navigate to Berkman Island
  • Sign up for a meeting time on Wednesday or Thursday evening for your tour of Second Life.
  • At your appointed time, go to Austin Hall in Second Life to meet your tour guide and go on your tour.
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: We will be available in the Extension School computer labs at 53 Church St. during the evening on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening to help you create your avatar and get into Second Life and to help you get to your meeting with your tour guide.
 
Wednesday, Sept 27. Virtual WorldsMode of Participation: Video. Please view the video titled “Virtual Worlds” on the Lecture Videos page of the course website.Reading:

Assignments: A journal entry in Moodle, as usual discussing the lecture and the readings for this week. Please relate your journal to your own experiences with Second Life so far.

Wednesday, Sept 27 and Thursday Sept, 28. Visit to Second Life.On either Wednesday or Thursday evening you must sign up for a time to visit Berkman Island in Second Life. Prior to visiting Berkman Island you will create your own Second Life avatar and learn the basics of navigating in the world. At your appointed time you will teleport to Berkman Island where a student host from the Extension School will take you on a guided tour of some interesting places in Second Life.

  • IMPORTANT NOTE: We will be available in the Extension School computer labs at 53 Church St. during the evening on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening to help you create your avatar and get into Second Life and to help you get to your meeting with your tour guide. You MUST sign up for a time for your tour ahead of time and you MUST have created your avatar before the time your tour is supposed to begin.
Wednesday, Sept 27 and Thursday Sept, 28. Visit to Second Life by Law Students + GROUP FORMATION.
You will act as tour guides for your fellow students taking this course through the Harvard Law School. You will sign up for a time slot to act as a tour guide on either Wednesday or Thursday evening. You will be paired with one or two Harvard Law School students who you will take to some of the interesting places that you learned about on your scavenger hunt.We will all meet together on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 10pm to form our project groups for the class. You will be working with this group throughout the rest of the class so it is very important to attend this meeting so that you can select a group that you’ll enjoy. You will be having weekly synchronous meetings with your group for th remainder of the class and you will select your group meeting time at this meeting as well.Mode of Participation: Second LIfe Event.Reading: None.Assignments: Your assignment for this week is to give a tour of Second Life to one or two law students. You must schedule your tour ahead of time.
Monday, Oct. 2. Generating Buzz as Argument StrategyWhat enables and nurtures online communities in an integrated media context? What sorts of phenomena have succeeded by the populist metric of the ‘Net. With all sites at least theoretically equally accessible, what gets people to go to particular thing? The popularity of these artifacts is an example of aggregation of minimal but powerful willing energy that is expressed just by adding hits and telling friends. What can these artifacts tell us about the elements of successful buzz creation? It is clear that we can aggregate energy to filter content: these artifacts demonstrate it. It is clear that we can aggregate energy to create structured repositories of useful information and resources: Wikipedia, free sound, the breaks, the latin library, and many other projects demonstrate it. Can we take it further by aggregating energy to make an argument for a principle? Downhill Battle’s 3 Notes and Runnin’ shows us it is possible.Guest: Professor Jonathan Zittrain, Oxford University and Harvard Law School  
Tuesday, Oct. 3. Networks and Network DynamicsSocial networks and online communities are a powerful and growing phenomenon. From the Internet to networks of friendship, disease transmission, and even terrorism, the concept–and the reality–of networks has come to pervade modern society. But what exactly is a network?Guest: Professor David Lazer, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Reading:

 
Wednesday, Oct. 4. Networks and Network DynamicsSocial networks and online communities are a powerful and growing phenomenon. From the Internet to networks of friendship, disease transmission, and even terrorism, the concept–and the reality–of networks has come to pervade modern society. But what exactly is a network?Mode of Participation: Video. Please view the video called “Networks and Network Dynamics” in the Lecture Videos section of the course website.Reading:

Assignments:

  • Moodle journal entry. As usual, please discuss the lecture and the readings for this week.
Thursday, Oct. 5. The Interview ProjectThis week you’ll be learning a bit more about the society and social networks of Second Life by doing an in-depth interview with a prominent Second Life avatar. We’ve selected a list of very interesting avatars who have agreed to be interviewed by students of our class. We’ll meet in three small groups in Second Life for an interview orientation in which you’ll learn some interviewing skills. Then you’ll put your interview skills to work for your assignment for this week.Mode of Participation: Synchronous SL event.Reading: None.Assignment: Interview a famous SL personality, record and excerpt your conversation. The assignment description can be found here.
Monday, Oct. 9. Practice Day: Introduction to Video ProductionGuest: Jason Crow, Cambridge Community Television Assignment: Perelman  
Tuesday, Oct. 10. Public Citizen Discourse: Political Blogs and Net OrganizingFrom Our Media to YouTube, Odeo to BrightCove, Conversations Network to Global Voices - people are using new media to facilitate citizen participation not just through text and blogging but now with digital audio and video. This is a future for public media.Guests: Professor John Palfrey, Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School, Reading: None.Assignments: None.  
Wednesday, Oct 11. Public Citizen Discourse: Political Blogs and Net OrganizingFrom Our Media to YouTube, Odeo to BrightCove, Conversations Network to Global Voices - people are using new media to facilitate citizen participation not just through text and blogging but now with digital audio and video. This is a future for public media.Mode of Participation: Video. Please watch the video entitled “Public Citizen Discourse” in the lecture videos section of the course website.Reading: None.Assignments: None.
Thursday, Oct. 12. Project Topic SelectionMode of Participation: Second Life small group event. The instructors will visit your small group meetings this week to discuss the selection of a topic for your group project.Reading: None.Assignments: None.
Monday, Oct. 16. Bridge BloggingGuest: Rebecca MacKinnonReading: None.Assignments: None.  
Tuesday, Oct. 17. Active Participation in the Media: Fake News, News from the People, the Boundaries of Citizen JournalismGuest: Nick Sylvester

 
Wednesday, Oct. 18. Active Participation in the Media: Fake News, News from the People, the Boundaries of Citizen JournalismMode of Participation: Video. Please watch the video entitled “Active Participation in the Media” in the Lecture Videos section of the course website.Reading:

Wednesday, Oct. 19. Wiki WorkshopIn this class you’ll learn about a technology called Wiki. A Wiki is a web site that can be edited by anyone through an interface on the web. It allows a wide variety of collaborative editing projects to develop. For this course your project group will be using a Wiki to develop a text-based explanation and presentation of your project.
Mode of Participation: TBD.
Reading: Benkler on Wikipedia.Assignments: collaboratively with your group, write up a description of your project topic and your methodology on a Wiki page on our course Wiki.
Monday, Oct 23. NO CLASS  
Tuesday, Oct. 24. NO CLASS  
Wednesday, Oct 25. Code as Law/SL BuildingThis week we will explore the idea that the technology that structures our environment acts as a form of law or regulation. We will approach the idea both theoretically and practically. Most of our work this week will focus on learning how to build new objects and give them behaviors in Second Life.Reading: LessigAssignments: TBD
Thursday, Oct. 26. Second Life BuildingWe continue with Second Life Building workshops.Reading: NoneAssignments: TBD
Monday, October 30. Radio, Podcast, PRX: Taking the ‘Net Ethos off the ScreenGuests: Jake Shapiro and Benjamen Walker (unconfirmed)Reading: TBD.Assignments: TBD.  
Tuesday, October 31. Practice Day: Audio ProductionGuests: Colin Rhinesmith (unconfirmed)Reading: TBD.Assignments: TBD.  
Wednesday, Nov 1. Radio, Podcast, PRX: Taking the ‘Net Ethos off the ScreenMode of Participation: Video. Please watch the video entitled “Radio, Podcast, PRX” in the Lecture Videos section of the course website.Listening: TBD.Assignments: TBD.
Thursday, Nov 2. Practice Day: Audio ProductionMode of Participation: Video. Please watch the video entitled “Audio Production” in the Lecture Videos section of the course website.Reading: None.Assignments: TBD.
Monday, Nov. 6. Community Media goes Beyond BroadcastGuests: Deborah Scranton, Jay Dedman (unconfirmed)Reading:

  • The War Tapes is a documentary shot by US soldiers from the front lines of Iraq, Director Deborah Scranton had the necessary funding and approval to work as an embedded journalist in the second Iraq war; instead, she went forward with her unique vision—directing a documentary film from the Internet. Ten self-selected soldiers from the New Hampshire National Guard were connected with Deborah, given consumer hand-held camcorders, and briefly trained to use them. The soldiers were then deployed for a one year tour in Iraq, and were in constant contact with Deborah over instant messenger and email. Please visit the website and watch several clips from the movie.

Assignments: TBD.

 
Tuesday, Nov 7. Practice Day: Internet distribution of mediaGuests: Dean JansenReading: TBD.Assignments: TBD.  
Wednesday, Nov. 8: Community Media goes Beyond BroadcastMode of Participation: Video. Please watch the video entitled “Community Media goes Beyond Broadcast” in the Lecture Videos section of the course website.Reading:

  • The War Tapes is a documentary shot by US soldiers from the front lines of Iraq, Director Deborah Scranton had the necessary funding and approval to work as an embedded journalist in the second Iraq war; instead, she went forward with her unique vision—directing a documentary film from the Internet. Ten self-selected soldiers from the New Hampshire National Guard were connected with Deborah, given consumer hand-held camcorders, and briefly trained to use them. The soldiers were then deployed for a one year tour in Iraq, and were in constant contact with Deborah over instant messenger and email. Please visit the website and watch several clips from the movie.

Assignments: TBD.

Thursday, Nov. 9: Practice Day: Internet distribution of mediaMode of Participation: Video. Please view the video entitled “Internet Distribution of Media” in the Lecture Videos section of the course website.Reading: TBD.Assignments: TBD.
Monday, Nov. 13. Getting Rights Right for Musicians: The Case for Giving Away your PropertyUsing music as a case study we make the argument that most musicians stand to benefit, financially and otherwise, by openly sharing their music under a permissive rights system. At the same time we will look for balance in the legal rights which a creator may claim allowing for full choice with minimal coercion beyond the incentives of the new marketplace. We’ll look at the changes currently taking place in terms of music production and music consumption. We’ll also look at the rights systems available.Guests: Wayne Marshall, Mike FricklasReading/Listening: TBD.Assignments: TBD.  
Tuesday, Nov. 14: TBDGuests: None.Reading: None.Assignments: TBD.  
Wednesday, Nov 15. Getting Rights Right for Musicians: The Case for Giving Away your Property.Using music as a case study we make the argument that most musicians stand to benefit, financially and otherwise, by openly sharing their music under a permissive rights system. At the same time we will look for balance in the legal rights which a creator may claim allowing for full choice with minimal coercion beyond the incentives of the new marketplace. We’ll look at the changes currently taking place in terms of music production and music consumption. We’ll also look at the rights systems available.Mode of Participation: Video. Please view the video entitled “Getting Rights Right for Musicians” in the Lecture Video section of the course website.Reading/Listening: TBD.Assignments: TBD.
Thursday, Nov. 16: Practice Day: Property Exercise in SLMode of Participation: Second Life synchronous event!Guests: None.Reading: None.Assignments: TBD.
Monday, Nov. 20: Open Access and the Role of UniversitiesGuests: Professor Stuart Shieber (Harvard University), Laura DeBonis (Google), Professor Sid Verba (Harvard University) (unconfirmed)Reading: TBD.Assignments: TBD.  
Tuesday, Nov. 21: Class Presentations: Text-Based MediaGuests: None.Reading: None.Assignments: TBD.  
Wednesday, Nov 22: NO CLASS
Thursday, Nov. 23: NO CLASS
Monday, Nov. 27: Class Presentations: Audio-Based MediaGuests: None.Reading: None.Assignments: TBD.  
Tuesday, Nov. 28: Class Presentations: Video-Based MediaGuests: NoneReading: NoneAssignments: TBD  
Wednesday, Nov. 29: Review law student presentations
Thursday, Nov. 30: SL Fair Preparation
Monday, Dec. 4: The Medium is the MessageGuests: NoneReading: TBD.Assignments: Formally write up your group project. Your write up should address all aspects of the project. Address the issue your group chose and the arguments for it on all sides. You may do this by reference to the media you produced during the semester. Address the technology you chose for getting your message out. Address the distribution technology you chose to get your message out. Address your distribution strategy. For each of these, please analyze the significance of your choice to your outcome. Finally, please address the feedback you were able to generate during the course to your group’s activity and the quality of your own experience.  
Tuesday, Dec. 5: Summation and FeedbackGuests: NoneReading: TBD.Assignments: TBD.  
Wednesday, Dec. 6: The Medium is the MessageMode of Participation: Video. Please view the video entitled “The Medium is the Message” in the Lecture Videos section of the course website.Reading: TBD.Assignments: Evaluation of the Second Life experience.
Thursday, Dec. 7: Second Life Fair! (Extension Student Projects)Please join us on Berkman Island in Second Life for a fair put on by the Extension School students. At this fair the students will be presenting their projects from the semester. These projects have focused on activism within the Second Life community and they will be presenting their work to the Second Life public. You are invited to attend and see what they have done.TIME, DATE and LOCATION: 12/7, 9pm-11pm EST, Berkman Island in Second Life Thursday, Dec. 7: Second Life Fair!This is your chance to show your project to the Second Life community and your fellow students at the law school. We will be inviting the general public to visit Berkman Island to see the booth your group has constructed to showcase your project. Be prepared to discuss your project with all comers, and to be evaluated by your instructors. This class meeting is mandatory because it serves as your final project presentation for the class.TIME, DATE and LOCATION: 12/7, 9pm-11pm EST, Berkman Island in Second LifeMode of Participation: Second Life synchronous Event.Guests: The Law School class
Reading: NoneAssignments: Final write up of your project.
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