This is an informal course aimed at distributing a basic foundation of technical knowledge necessary for democratic participation for an audience with no IT background. Data is this century's oil with which and over which many key conflicts will unfold, and we cannot afford to leave its management only to those educated for economic production in this domain. I envision a future in which questions of civil liberties in a rapidly-changing technological environment are discussed at a table where all have a seat befitting us not as consumers, but as citizens.
The format of the course will be two-hour sessions every first and third Thursday, with a lecture introducing the technical concepts, some hands-on exercises, and a discussion of the civic issues tied to the respective technology. The discussion may go past the time limit of the event, and anyone is also free to leave early. There will be suggested readings and resources for further study, none of which will be necessary for participation. The lectures will build on each other, but I aim to make them accessible as standalone events. I also plan to record the sessions (omitting video and audio from participants on request) and to publish them, so that they can be shared and so that participants can follow along while missing some lectures in person. There will be no fee for participation, but I suggest an optional donation of 50kr. per lecture split between think and ulovliglogning.dk
For the first session, I will take a broad look at the relationship between free software, nonfree software, and our civil liberties, aiming to paint a clear picture of how technology in general fulfills its underlying logic in the long term. Unlike most sessions, this will not have a hands-on portion (so no need to bring a computer), and will move early on into a group discussion about what democracy means in a context of rapid change and tenuous public understanding and what we could do about it. If you are interested but fear that you would have nothing to add in the discussion, then you are exactly whom I hope to reach with this event series, so please don't be shy.
About the host: I'm Josh Clement, a PhD student in experimental physics with an extensive hobbyist background in software and more recently in tech activism.