Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam

Laws governing the infrastructure of the internet are sources of political battles over control of the Internet and other key elements of the global order. This course explores the laws governing little-known areas that keep the Internet running, from undersea fiber optic cables, to DNS servers, to international technical standards. The laws explored include both multilateral agreements and domestic law. A key focus of this course will be the ways in which countries use governance of these relatively obscure technical systems to assert political control. Readings in this class will be interdisciplinary, drawing on legal scholarship but also on historical and STS studies.