Freedom of Expression in the Age of Globalization: Advanced Course

This course will focus on the multiple challenges to freedom of expression brought about by the technology revolution of the last two decades. On one hand, it has given the world the means to realize its commitment to freedom of information without frontiers. Technology has shaped, reshaped, and radically transformed the production and distribution of information, profoundly impacting whole societies and greatly influencing, if not defining, information and communication. On the other hand, it has also precipitated or heightened a range of normative, regulatory and political issues related to the protection of free speech, on and offline. This course will examine the complex, and often awkward, interplay of global information flows with national jurisdiction and state sovereignty, its effects on democracy and fundamental rights, and what it means for the realization of a borderless vision for the right to freedom of expression.

The course is comprised of recorded lectures. Dr. Agnes Callamard, the Director of Columbia Global Freedom of Expression and the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, who led the human rights investigation into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, will deliver the lectures. Supplementary lectures by international experts will provide additional information on topics addressed by the main lectures or additional issues which could not be included in the core course. Students will be actively invited to consult the supplementary videos to strengthen their knowledge. Weekly readings will be assigned from classic philosophical works on the concept of freedom of expression, key texts of international human rights law, significant decisions of international and national courts, as well as relevant news stories and video clips. The course will provide access to case analyses from Columbia University's Global Case Law Database to illustrate the issues as well as for course assignments. Most readings will be freely available on the Internet.

This Advanced Course was preceded by a Foundational Course, which introduces the international system of protection for freedom of expression. Enrolling in the Foundational Course is recommended before undertaking this Advanced Course to those who are not familiar with international human rights law and freedom of expression issues.

What You Will Learn:

What You Will Learn:

• ·         The impact of the Information technology revolution on the exercise of, and the global standards related to, freedom of expression and information
• ·         The most recent legal and policy developments in response to challenges to freedom of expression and information, including those related to security, religion and technology.

About GFOE2

This is a self-paced course with materials including video lectures, readings, quizzes, discussion posts and other exercises split into five weeks to complete at your own pace.

Videos

The four-week course is comprised of video lectures between 10 and 30 minutes long. The videos can be watched at various speeds and with or without closed captioning. Additionally, downloadable transcripts will be available for each video lecture.

Dr. Agnès Callamard will deliver all the main lectures of the course. She is the director of Columbia Global Freedom of Expression and is an eminent expert and advocate for human rights and freedom of expression. The main video lectures will be supplemented with additional interviews and lectures with world-renowned and international experts to provide additional information on course topics and issues which could not be included in the core course. You are invited and encouraged to consult the supplementary materials to strengthen your freedom of expression knowledge.

Readings

Each week will include required and supplementary readings. Weekly readings will be assigned from classic philosophical works on the concept of freedom of expression, key texts of international human rights law, significant decisions of international and national courts, as well as relevant news stories and video clips. The course will provide access to case analyses from Columbia University Global Case Law Database to illustrate the issues as well as for course assignments. Most readings will be freely available on the Internet.

Activities and Tools

• Discussion Forum: Will help us discuss, debate, and build community
• Q & A Session: Will be scheduled with Dr. Callamard to increase interaction and gain deeper understanding of course content
• Weekly Progress Chart: Will help you keep track of your progress by showing your completed assignments and quiz scores

Assessment and Grading

Students' performance will be assessed fully through weekly quizzes.

Course Schedule

Week 1 Making a Case for Freedom of Expression: Values	1.1 Introduction and Overview 1.2 Freedom of Expression Online 1.3 Intermediary Liability 1.4 Censorship by Proxy and Other Implications
Week 2 The Normative Frameworks	2.1 Are Bloggers Journalists? 2.2. The Liability of Search Engines 2.3 The Right to be Forgotten 2.4 Surveillance Within and Across Borders
Week 3 Challenges to Online Freedom of Expression	3.1 Incitement and Hate Speech - Article 20 ICCPR 3.2 Incitement and Hate Speech (1) 3.3 Incitement and Hate Speech (2) 3.4 National Security 3.5 Counter-Terrorism and Freedom of Expression 3.6 Countering Incitement and Hate Speech
Week 4 Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age	4.1 Defamation: The Basics 4.2 Defamation: Digital Speech 4.3 Privacy Online 4.4 Violence Against Expression 4.5 Protection of Journalists and HRDs 4.6 The Way Forward, Challenges to a Global Free Press in a Global Society