PPR415: International Political Economy and the 'Digital Age'

Objectives

The emergence of the so-called 'information age' and the introduction of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) have attracted much public and academic attention. This is reflected in a wide range of concepts related to the current period: 'globalisation', the 'new economy', 'network era', 'Gates-ism', 'Silicon Valleys', 'Wintelism', 'knowledge-driven economies' etc.

These terms not only point to the supposed arrival of a new era; they also call our attention to the changing nature of politics/political economy at global level. Accordingly the course will explore, both theoretically and empirically, the implication of the 'digital age' for:

• the reorganisation of economic, political and social relations
• the implications for global patterns of wealth and power and
• the winners and losers therein

Structure

The course has three parts.

• The first identifies the main features of the 'digital age' with regard to technological changes in the fields of ICTs.
• The second part examines key theories/concepts about the 'information age' and the reorganisation of social, economic and political relations.
• The third part examines how these changes can be seen from concrete issues such as US's protection of intellectual property rights, the emergence of a new regime of Internet governance (e.g., WTO, WIPO and ICANN), and the questions of 'digital divide' and 'e-waste'.

The course is taught on the basis of ten weekly seminars, with short lectures, a 15-20 min. student presentation, and a general discussion in which all are expected to participate.

Select Bibliography

Castells, M, The Rise of Network Society, 2nd ed

Cox, R & Sinclair, T, Approaches to World Order

Gates, B, Business @ the Speed of Thought

Lee, G-M et al (eds), The Silicon Valley Edge

Schiller, D, Digital Capitalism

Schiller, H, Information Inequality

Rosenau, J & Singh, J (eds.), Information Technologies and Global Politics

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