Technologies for democratic society
Weekly outline
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Lectures in-person: Friday 11:15-13:00 in CM11
Lectures online: see Zoom and SpeakUp links below
Lecturer: Dr. Vero Estrada (BC-209)
TAs: Louis-Henri Merino, Haoqian Zhang (BC263)
AEs: Hana Farid, Fabrice Nemo
Exercise Session (on request): 13:15 - 14:00 in INM200
How to contact us?
- E-mail: Please use the following email address to contact the CS-234 staff: cs234@groupes.epfl.ch
- Exercise sessions: For in-person help or discussion about the exercises, you may come to the Friday exercise session after E-mailing the CS-234 staff so that they know you are coming.
- Office hours: For in-person questions about the course in general, Dr. Estrada will usually be available Mondays 16:00-16:30 in BC 209, after e-mailing the CS-234 staff.
Participating in discussions: Students are encouraged to participate actively in lectures with questions and discussions. You may either raise your hand and speak out directly, or use the SpeakUp online forum for anonymous questions or comments.
Assessment:
- Quizzes: 10% (lowest quiz grade dropped)
- Assignments: 40%
- Final Exam: 50%
Assignments (Final Grade Percentage):
- HW #1 (5%): Graded
- Usenet (due Oct 13 @ 23:59)
- HW #2 (10%): Peer Review Assignment: Graded.
Part 1 (5%): Write Up (due Oct 18 @ 23:59)
Part 2 (3%): Peer Review (due Oct 26 @ 23:59)
Part 3 (2%): Metareview (due Nov 1 @ 23:59)
- HW #3 (20%): Collective Problem Solving
Problem Proposal dueNov 7 @ 23:59Comment on Assigned Proposal dueNov 9 @ 23:59Comment on other proposals dueNov 10 @ 23:59Responding to Comments dueNov 13 @ 23:59Proposal Voting dueNov 14 @ 23:59Team Assignments dueNov 16 @ 12:00Final Presentations Poll closes atNov 21 @ 23:59 (not graded).Information Gathering & Solution Proposals dueFriday Dec 1 @ 23:59Discussion & Feedback dueTuesday, Dec 5 @ 23:59Presentations dueThursday, Dec 7 @ 7:00Oral Presentations:Dec 7 (8:15 - 10:00) & 8th (13:15 - 14:00).- Final Approval Voting + Peer Evaluations due Thursday, Dec 21 @ 23:59
- HW #4 (5%): Ethereum Smart Contract
Part 1:Dec 11 @ 23:59.- Part 2 & 3: Dec 21 @ 23:59.
Quizzes:
Quiz #1: Oct 13thQuiz #2: Nov 3rdQuiz #3: Nov 24th- Quiz #4: Dec 22nd
- E-mail: Please use the following email address to contact the CS-234 staff: cs234@groupes.epfl.ch
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This week: 1. Course introduction
Next week: 2. UseNet, Internet, and "Democratization"
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By J.C.R. Licklider and Robert W. Taylor, April 1968.
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Excerpt: Chapter 8 from "Democracy and its Critics", Robert Dahl, 1989
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By Michael and Ronda Hauben, April 1997.
Reading assignment: chapters 1-4 and 18.
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This week: 2. UseNet, Internet, and "Democratization"
Next week: 3. Social influence and choice
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This week: 3. Social influence and choice
Next week: 4. Online trust networks and reputation systems
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This week: 4. Online trust networks and reputation systems
Next week: 5. Election methods -
This week: 5. Election methods
Next week: 6. Smart contracts and decentralized governance
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This week: 6. Smart contracts and decentralized governance
Next week: 7. Scaling participation through delegation
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This week: 7. Scaling participation through delegation
Next week: 8. Market-based mechanisms -
This week: 8. Market-based mechanisms
Next week: 9. Deliberative representation by lottery -
This week: 9. Deliberative representation by lottery
Next week: 10. Social bots and Sybil attacks -
This week: 10. Social bots and Sybil attacks
Next week: 11. Identity and anonymity online -
This week: 11. Identity and anonymity online
Next week: 12. Identity and anonymity technologies -
This week: 12. Identity and anonymity technologies
Next week: 13. Polarization -
This week: 13. Polarization
Next week: 14. E-voting and E-democracy