Required Readings
UGARKAR, Jayraj, The Essentials of Telecommunications Management. A Simple Guide to Understanding a Complex Industry, AuthorHouse™ UK Ltd., 2010. Book Available in the Social Sciences Library
Section 1: Chapts.1 and 2. _ Section 2: Chapts.3 and 5. __ Section 4: Chapt.14
Optional Readings
UGARKAR, Jayraj. ___ (as above)
Section 5: Chapts.16, 17, 18, and 19.
Required Readings:
VARIAN, Hal, FARREL, Joseph, SHAPIRO, Carl., The Economics of Information Technology. An Introduction, Cambridge University Press, 2008..
Part 1: Sects. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 [pp. 01-24].
Optional Readings
Part 2: all Sections Book available in the Social Sciences Library
Required Readings:
NATALICCHI Giorgio. Wiring Europe: Reshaping the European Telecommunications Regime (Gary Marks series on Governance in Europe). Rowman & Littlefied, 2001.
Chap. 2: European Telecoms Policy from the 1800s to the Millennium.
Optional Readings:
Chapter 3: The International Arena”.
Book available in the Social Sciences Library
Required Readings:
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/review-electronic-communications-regulatory-framework-executive-summaries
(a) https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/digital-scoreboard
(c) http://eige.europa.eu/resources/digital_agenda_en.pdf
Required Readings:
In Italian. GORI, Umberto, MARTINO Luigi (a cura di), Intelligence e Interesse Nazionale, from p.63 to p.133
(available in the social sciences library)
or
In English. KRAMER, J.F. & MULLER B. Cyberspace and International Relations: Theory Prospects and Challenges, Springer, 2014.
(a) Part 1: Chapt. by H.S. KASSAB: “In Search of Cyber Stability”, pp. 59-76.
(b) Part 2: McDOWELL S.S., NENSEY Z., & STEINBERG: “Cooperative International Approaches to Network Security”, pp 231-252.
These parts will be placed on MOODLE.
Learning Objectives
basic tools to analyze two cases in the second part of the course. (a) The European technology gap with the USA and East Asia and the EU plans to fill the gap; and (b) the problem of cyber security.
Prerequisites
No "formal" requisites. However an introductory knowledge of computers an networks is advised.
Teaching Methods
Regular Lectures
Class Discussion
Computer Display
Access to Data Sources
MOODLE Support
Expert Guests Presentations
(ex.: from TIM Telecom Italia)
Further information
see attendance requirements
in extended program
Type of Assessment
Attendance Requirements.
To qualify as “attending”, students should participate to at least half of the classes. Unless motivated by serious personal reasons, absences (due to stage, scholarships, or overlaps with other classes) are considered regular “absences”.
Final Evaluation.
Attending students can choose between:
(a) a final oral discussion on “selected themes” discussed during the course, or
(b) a final paper, on a theme related to a themes discussed during the course. (the theme should be agreed upon with the professor).
Special consideration will be given to “class attendance” and “participation”.
Not attending students will take a final oral exam on all the readings indicated in the program.
Only attending students can choose to present papers.
Course program
ICT Policies. aa 2017-2018. Spring Term. Modules 1 and 2.
Prof. Giorgio Natalicchi.
Tue and Wed: 10.00–12.00. Thu: 14.00-16.00
Program [V.2. 02-02-18]
SYLLABUS
Part 1. ICT Technology, Markets & Regulation
Part 1 focuses on the three main dimensions of the Information and Communications Technology. Namely: technology, markets, and regulation. The first is where computers, communications, and media systems are developed. The second is where demand (consumers) and supply (public or private firms) of such systems operate. The third is where rules are made (nowadays by independent regulators) for the functioning of the sector, both in terms of technology and markets.
Section 1. Technology.
Required Readings:
UGARKAR, Jayraj, The Essentials of Telecommunications Management. A Simple Guide to Understanding a Complex Industry, AuthorHouse™ UK Ltd., 2010. Book Available in the Social Sciences Library
Section 1: Chapts.1 and 2. _ Section 2: Chapts.3 and 5. __ Section 4: Chapt.14
Optional Readings
UGARKAR, Jayraj. ___ (as above)
Section 5: Chapts.16, 17, 18, and 19.
Section 2. Markets
Required Readings:
VARIAN, Hal, FARREL, Joseph, SHAPIRO, Carl., The Economics of Information Technology. An Introduction, Cambridge University Press, 2008..
Part 1: Sects. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 [pp. 01-24].
Optional Readings
Part 2: all Sections
Book available in the Social Sciences Library
Section 3. Regulation.
Required Readings:
NATALICCHI Giorgio. Wiring Europe: Reshaping the European Telecommunications Regime (Gary Marks series on Governance in Europe). Rowman & Littlefied, 2001.
Chap. 2: European Telecoms Policy from the 1800s to the Millennium.
Optional Readings:
Chapter 3: The International Arena”.
Book available in the Social Sciences Library
PART 2. Two key issues for ICT in Europe and Beyond
(1) Closing the ICT Gap between Europe and the US and Asia and (2) facing the problem of Cyber Security.
Section 1. Closing the European ICT Gap
As early as 1979 the European Commission, concerned with a growing European ICT bilateral trade deficit with both the USA and Japan, warned the member states about the dangers of dependence in such a strategic area. To close the trade and competitiveness gap, the EU has taken two directions: (a) creating a Digital Single Market in Europe; and (b) pushing for European competitiveness in the ICT sector. The first to eliminate existing barriers to internal trade in equipment and services and create European-wide standards (regulatory policy). The second to finance R&D projects (distributive policy) and coordinate national administrations and industry efforts to improve the status of European ICT in the world arena.
(a) https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/review-electronic-communications-regulatory-framework-executive-summaries
(b) https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/digital-scoreboard
(c) http://eige.europa.eu/resources/digital_agenda_en.pdf
Section 2. Cyber Security & International Relations (with sector expert Dr. Luigi Martino)
An old proverb informs us that “all good things in life are forbidden”. In our case, however, the “good things” (computers, telecom networks and the internet) are not forbidden (except for some countries with non-democratic regimes). If not forbidden, nowadays, besides the service bill, they bear a “special” type of price – security. Once attached to a network, willingly or not, we may be “donating” our communicated data (sometimes the content of our computer or cell phone) to known as well as “unknown” entities who open a door into our individual life as well as that of small and large organizations. Once attached to a network, the victims can become also public infrastructures as targets of terrorist attacks. In some cases, the targets are governments and national administrations. In these cases, an instrument of communication, becomes an instrument of destruction, and, as such, an effective - silent and secretive - instrument of international conflict. Unfortunately, but surely, wonderful instruments of human life improvement, placed in the hands of crooks, become weapons.
Required Readings:
In Italian. GORI, Umberto, MARTINO Luigi (a cura di), Intelligence e Interesse Nazionale, from p.63 to p.133
(available in the social sciences library)
or
In English. KRAMER, J.F. & MULLER B. Cyberspace and International Relations: Theory Prospects and Challenges, Springer, 2014.
(a) Part 1: Chapt. by H.S. KASSAB: “In Search of Cyber Stability”, pp. 59-76.
(b) Part 2: McDOWELL S.S., NENSEY Z., & STEINBERG: “Cooperative International Approaches to Network Security”, pp 231-252.
These parts will be placed on MOODLE.
Conclusions.
We will end with an open discussion on the application of some current and future trends in digital technologies, such as Robotics & Automata, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Analytics, Internet of Things,
No required reading for this last step. If necessary, we will use handouts or Moodle.
A couple of sound advices.
Attend the classes regularly and for the entire course - unless of course you are already an expert of this area, in which case you do not need to follow the course.
If you plan to be elsewhere, or, to follow another course at the same time, please do not bother taking this course. If you want to, you can take the exam as a non attending student after the end of the course.
There should not be any overlapping between classes for students of the second year of the magistrali SCPP and RISE. So, no excuse – unless you cannot come because you are ill or similar family reasons
Please do not take this course if you feel you are not ready for it or are not interested. The success of a course derives not only from the ability of the professor, but also from the interest and participation of the students.”It takes two to tango” says the old proverb.
We are in Political Science. ICT Policies is about governance in the area of ICT - thus in the area of ICT technology, markets, and regulation. To enjoy it you have to be interested as well as feel capable to deal with this sort of subjects (a bit technical of course). And by the way, the classes are not “one-way, but “two ways” classes. I expect you to discuss in class what you studied between classes.
Performance Evaluation
Attendance Requirements.
To qualify as “attending”, students should participate to at least half of the classes. Unless motivated by serious personal reasons, absences (due to stage, scholarships, or overlaps with other classes) are considered regular “absences”.
Final Evaluation.
Attending students can choose between:
(a) a final oral discussion on “selected themes” discussed during the course, or
(b) a final paper, on a theme related to a themes discussed during the course. (the theme should be agreed upon with the professor).
Special consideration will be given to “class attendance” and “participation”.
Not attending students will take a final oral exam on all the readings indicated in the program.
Only attending students can choose to present papers.