PSCI 280
Silicon Valley: Digital Transformation and Democracy Fall 2020
Division II
Cross-listed POEC 280 / PSCI 280 / STS 280

Nearly every country in the world seeks to drive economic growth by promoting digital technologies. In the twenty-first century, the universal model is Silicon Valley. But as much as tech may drive economic growth, it may also threaten democratic politics. This tutorial explores this tension. We do so in four steps by examining (1) the origins of the Silicon Valley model, (2) other countries’ attempts to emulate it, (3) what it’s like to work in tech, and (4) possibilities for regulating the tech sector. Each step will deepen students’ understanding of tech. By engaging multiple analytical lenses, students will develop the tools to articulate the possibilities and imperatives of democratic politics in the twenty-first century.