Course Syllabus

LAW 276.6 sec. 1 - Technology Policy (TPRG) (Spring 2017)

Units: 1
Meeting Time: Th 3:35PM-5:25PM
Meeting Location: Boalt 134

Course Start: January 12, 2017
Course End: April 16, 2017
Class Number (1Ls): 32879 (section 1)

A tremendous amount of writing is being generated by lawyers in order to influence public policy on technology issues. The Technology Policy Reading Group will focus on both substance and strategy of this writing. Students will evaluate the quality of this work, attempt to understand the dynamics of the policy conversation, and how such dialogue fits into the larger strategy to influence government technology policy. These procedural questions have become more important in light of recent reporting concerning payola at well-respected Washington think tanks. Students will be encouraged to view the policy tussles through different lenses: markets, organizational behavior, behavioral economics, policymaker interests, competing factions in the technology industry (e.g. intermediaries, content producers, etc), international stakeholders, military, etc. Finally, students will be encouraged to consider how law school has affected their substantive viewpoints and their approach to analyzing policy questions.

The course will focus on 2–3 overarching issues identified and selected by students. For instance, if held in spring 2016, the topics might have included: network neutrality and the reclassification of information services, questions of innovation policy and government funding, the internet of things, the issues raised by advancements in intelligent machines, or the proposed amendments to the computer hacking statutes (including encryption backdoors).

Assessment

This is a pass/fail course. Students will be required to write 3 reaction papers, of 2-3 pages in length, and to be the lead presenter of policy literature in the course on 2–3 occasions.

Reaction papers are due Feb 9, March 9, and April 6th. Here is a good template to use for your assignments.

The instructor will circulate a sign-up sheet for students to select their lead topics groups (these are likely to be groups of 7 people) and we will find a system to make people within these groups discussion leaders for classes 2–7.

APM-015 Part II statement

This course will deal with material concerning current events and exploration of government actions and their possible consequences. Class discussion will feature such material.

Class meets every other week. Jan 12, Feb 2, Feb 9, Feb 23, Mar 9, Mar 23, Apr 6 (note the irregular schedule--the instructor has to be in Brussels on on Jan 26th, so we will meet Feb 2nd instead)

Course Readings

Most of our readings will be in the public domain, and there is no appropriate textbook for our group. Some readings will be behind paywalls. In order to get the readings at no cost, you will have to use the Berkeley Library VPN or the Library Proxy. These tools enable you to obtain all UCB-subscribed journals and books from your home computer. If you have problems, see your helpdesk.

Readings