The Political Economy of Information

The structure and control of global communications and information are of commanding importance in today's world. The rise of vertically integrated, transnational corporations in this sector, alongside the characteristically recent emergence throughout much of the world of national and regional units of capital, are transforming the earlier system based on cultural/informational exports and imports. The continuing transnationalization of production and distribution systems; institutionally stratified opportunities to influence the informational environment; access to communications systems and services; intellectual property issues; propaganda in the contemporary world; and evaluation of the economic importance of the sector are vital questions for research. We will analyze basic texts and recent scholarship on these topics to acquaint graduate students with leading themes and breaking research in the field, so as to assist them in designing and implementing their own research programs. Students will read a series of scholarly monographs, and write major research papers. Restricted to Ph.D. students -- other graduate students may enroll with consent of instructor.