Political Science 577 Information Technology, Globalization and Governance

Rey Koslowski [email protected]

This graduate course provides a broad overview of information revolutions and their impact on global politics. We will examine previous episodes of transformative changes in communications to place contemporary changes in a broader historical context and we will consider theoretical explorations of the relationship between information technologies and world politics. The bulk of the course, however, will examine the practical impact of the information revolution on state sovereignty, democratization, diplomacy, international political economy, international and homeland security and international organization. A particular emphasis will be placed on the information technologies used to run government agencies and other public sector organizations. We will also examine the move from "legacy systems" to integrated suites of standardized software known as Enterprise Systems in back office of government operations as well as the website “front ends” that connect these systems to citizens, private sector entities and other governments. The course will consider the ways in which international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have taken advantage of the internet and the ways in which states attempt to control flows of information over the internet to their citizens. The course will focus extensively on the use of information technology by the US State Department and other foreign ministries as well as investigate the implementation of management information systems by international organizations such as the United Nations. The course will also consider the global digital divide, efforts to bridge that divide and use information technologies to foster international development.

Preliminary Syllabus for Fall 2010 is available at: Koslowski POS 577 Preliminary Fall 2010 Syllabus