Wikipedian protester source : xkcd.com

About the seminar

Instructor

Evaluation

The first assignment for this seminar is to decide collectively how you will be evaluated for the final exam, following a consent decision making process. The students have the entire responsibility of deciding how they will be rated. Note : they don’t decide the grade, but only the process.

Participation is mandatory ; you have to register following this link. This exercice will amount for 50% of the final grade.

Group presentations are assigned to 3 sessions. They represent 50% of the final grade.

Optional readings : keep you updated on the topics at hand

Program

Session 1 : introduction (26-01 / 9:00-12:00)

Download the slides

Mandatory readings

Session 2 : Opening governments : public participation and transparency (5-02 / 9:00-12:00)

Download the slides

Assignment : class presentation

Two teams will have to challenge the following statement : Are civic technologies a pastime for the middle class ?

Mandatory readings

Session 3 : Toward algorithmic transparency and accountability (09-02 / 9:00-12:00 / guest speaker : Frédéric Bardolle - Linkedin - Twitter)

Download the slides

Assignment : class presentation

Two teams will have to challenge the following statement : Would you be willing to give up your privacy for better Youtube and Siri recommendations ?

Mandatory readings

Session 4 : Evaluation / interactive debate (12-04 / 9:00-12:00)

Students debated and voted beforehand for an in-class exam using the Loomio platform.

Session 5 : Organizations as platforms of people : exploring the decentralization of social interactions (12-04 / 9:00-12:00 / guest speaker : Alexandre Bigot-Verdier - Linkedin)

Download the slides (soon !)

Assignment : class presentation

Use-case analysis : compare the governance model of two organizations

Sensorica is an emergent organization that describes itself as Open Value Network, exploring peer-2-peer relations at a professional level. After interviewing one of its affiliates, describe its governance, the tools they use, the values and the work ethics of this organization. Are they just a bunch of nerds playing with governance patterns or pioneers that lead the way to a whole new form of social contract. Document your exploration as a useful contribution to this network.

Enspiral is an emergent organization that summarizes its vision as : “more people working on stuffs that matters”. After interviewing one of its affiliates, describe its governance, the tools they use, their values and the work ethics of this organization. Are they just a bunch of Neo-hippies playing with fancy governance patterns or pioneers that lead the way to a whole new form of social contract. Document your exploration as a useful contribution to this network.

Bank session : field trip to Station F

Meetup in front Station F at 9:30 rue Eugène Freyssinet

“Station F is a business incubator for startups, located in 13th arrondissement of Paris. Noted as the world’s largest startup facility.

Situated in a former rail freight depot previously known as la Halle Freyssinet (thereof the “F” in Station F). The 34,000 m2 facility was formally opened by President Emmanuel Macron in June 2017 and provides office accommodation for up to 1,000 start-up and early stage businesses as well as for corporate partners such as Facebook, Microsoft and Naver.”