• The historical development of mobile communication.
  
• The functioning of mobile telephone handsets and their interaction with the mobile communications network.
  
• Global adoption of mobile communication
  
• Micro-coordination and the use of location based services
  
• The role of the mobile phone in the Global South and its impact on economy, social relations, and the lives of women.
  
• The position of texting, photos and other non-voice uses of mobile communication.
  
• The position of mobile communication in the lives of teens.
  
• Future trends in mobile communication.
  
• The global context associated with mobile communication.
  

• History of mobile communication and individual communication
  
• Technical dimensions of mobile communication
  
• Global adoption
  
• Use of mobile communication in the global south
  
• Texting, mobile media and photo interaction
  
• Mobile communication in youth culture
  
• Microcoordination
  
• Mobile phones as taken for granted and Social Network analysis
  
• Location based services
  
• The future of mobile communication
  

The class will extend for 14 weeks including 12 lectures, 11 exercise sections and 2 weeks of supervision. In addition to the lectures, students are expected to collaborate with each other in class discussions, group presentations, and a practical project that is meant to apply the concepts and theory learned during the course.
Students are expected to:

• Be present in class;
  
• Contribute to the class with your ideas, comments and questions;
  
• Actively participate in the course, answering the instructor's questions and engaging in class discussions.
  

1. Write a short paper and
   
2. Actively participate in the creative group project.
   

• The originality of your idea
  
• How you define your research question(s) in adequate detail
  
• The quality of your methodology (comparative analysis / case study)
  
• How you completely and clearly discuss the issues involved drawing from relevant scholarly literature and class lectures, discussions and readings
  
• If the paper is clearly organized (including title, abstract, keywords, introduction, conclusion and sections sub-division)
  
• The quality of your writing (paragraph transitions, spelling, grammar, punctuation) (Note: the paper must be in English)
  
• The adequate total number of sources, scholarly sources and class sources
  
• The proper formatting of the sources (it is suggested that you use the Chicago style)
  
• The adequate length of your paper
  

• Make a comparative analysis of two mobile phone applications (e.g. Loopt / Brightkite), two films that deal with cell phones as social media (e.g. Denise Calls Up and Cellular)
  
• Develop a case study for a situation using mobile as social media phones (e.g. appropriation of cell phones by a specific community, how cell phones are represented in the local newspaper)
  
• Select a topic of your choice, as long as it is connected to the topics we discussed in class
  

• Abstract / 5 keywords / Introduction / Conclusion / References
  
• Clear research question(s)
  
• A clear thesis statement
  
• Clear supporting points
  
• A logical, argument-based structure, and
  
• Concrete, well-documented evidence
  

• It should be 3-5 pages including notes and references list
  
• Reference to other’s work needs to be included. We suggest using the Chicago style guide for citations. (information on the Chicago style guide can be found here)
  
• You must have at least 4 sources; at least 3 of these must be scholarly sources. You should cite at least 2 texts used in class
  

• A one-paragraph statement of your proposed topic (Week 4 of the class)
  
• Paper outline + an initial annotated list of 5 sources relevant to your topic; at least 3 of these must be scholarly articles or books. A good example on how to write a paper outline can be found at the Online Writing Lab at Purdue's University:http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_outlinS.html (Week 6 of the class)
  
• The final paper (Week 11 of the class)
  

• A short mobile video narrative (1-5 minutes). The group can create a motion movie or a still movie. In both cases, the group is encouraged to add voice over / soundtrack. You can use a regular film camera to do this, but you are encouraged to use your mobile phone camera
  
• A short play (5-10 minutes). This is similar to the video narrative, with the difference that instead of filming it, the group will perform it in class
  
• A short novel (5-10 pages)
  
• Or other creative project, as long as it is discussed with the instructor
  

• Ubiquitous / pervasive computing / locative media (How does embedding computational devices everywhere change how we interact with urban spaces?)
  
• Microcoordination (How can cell phones mediate interpersonal relationships?)
  
• Macrocoordination (How can cell phones be used for collective communication and activism?)
  
• Safety and security (Do people fell safer with their cell phones? What would happen if you are a day without a cell phone?)
  
• How do people in different parts of the world approach mobile communication?
  
• Is the mobile Facebook different from the “fixed” version in terms of the way that we use it?
  
• Intimacy (Is there a parallel between online dating and cell phone dating?)
  
• Identity and fashion (How do cell phones work as part of people's identity?)
  
• Appropriation of technology (How are cell phones used by low-income communities / in the developing world?)
  

• Define work groups (Week 2 of the class)
  
• Present a written (one paragraph) proposal of the final project to be discussed in class (Week 3 of the class)
  
• Present an initial storyboard for the final project (Week 5)
  
• Present a draft version of the final project to be discussed in class (Week 8 )
  
• Final presentations (Week 12)
  

• Clearly analyze mobile phones as social media
  
• Be narrow and well-defined
  
• Reflect the group´s creativity and original ideas
  
• Clearly connect to broader historical, social, and spatial implications of mobile technologies.
  
• Connect to the topics discussed in class
  

• Reflect the work done on the proposal and storyboard
  
• Represent your group´s ideas in a clear and logical way
  
• Respect the adequate established proposed length
  
• Properly cite credits / sources
  
• Should address inspiration for the project and connections to class texts and contemporary mobile media phenomena
  The last class meeting will be reserved for students’ demonstration / presentation of their project. The final video should be also be given to the instructor in a CD/DVD. 

The final exam for this class will be a written, short answer exam. The students will have a list of approximately 20 study questions from the lecture and 20 study questions from the readings. The study questions will refer directly to elements in the readings and in the lecture material. In the examination the student will be asked to:
1. Answer 4 of 7 questions (that are drawn from the study questions) based on material from the lecture and
2. Answer 4 of 7 questions (that are drawn from the study questions) based on the readings.
In the answers the student should make sure to directly answer the issue poised in the question. This will show their ability to describe the material as noted in the intended learning outcome above. In addition they should work to analyze, explain and critically reflect on the particular issue. The ability to touch on these different dimensions of the intended learning outcome will distinguish the quality of the answer.

Length of exam: 4 hours.