Undergraduate Course: Introduction to Law and Digital Technology (LAWS08146)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | The burgeoning revolution of digital technologies and artificial intelligence raises unprecedented questions about their governance and the increasingly intricate relationship between law and technology. The course will explore how inter-sectioning legal systems around the world tackle this common challenge, illustrating commonalities and differences between the various approaches. |
| Course description |
This course examines the challenges posed by digital technologies and how legal systems are addressing these. The course will concentrate on several overarching themes and questions, such as the role of the nation-state and the significance of national borders amidst global communication flows, the regulation of technology through both public and private means, data capitalism, the impact of artificial intelligence on fundamental rights, and more. Additionally, it will feature case studies drawn to provide a comprehensive overview of the diverse responses, as well as any similarities, to common issues encountered across different jurisdictions. In discussing the complexities of these global challenges, the course will delve into different levels of governance to illustrate and discuss the range of regulatory solutions, with a prevalent focus on international and regional perspective but not disregarding notable national examples where relevant. The main objectives of the course are as follows:
To provide an in-depth understanding of the emerging relations between digital technologies and the law at the international and regional levels;
To develop an in-depth understanding of the normative and social challenges of regulating technologies, and the different methods and techniques that make it possible (e.g. self-regulation, co-regulation, regulation by design, etc.)
To develop a critical understanding and analytical capability in respect of technological advancements and their impact on society.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
78 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% essay (3500 words) |
| Feedback |
Students will have the opportunity to undertake a formative assessment at the end of week 6 and receive feedback.
Individual and cohort feedback will be given to the coursework essay |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Develop a critical understanding of how the rise of digital technologies challenge the traditional notions of state sovereignty and jurisdiction
- Develop a critical understanding of the challenges of the governance of technology at the global level.
- Develop an understanding of the emerging relations between digital technologies and the law and the international, regional, and domestic levels.
- Evaluate the different methods and techniques of regulation (e.g. self-regulation, co-regulation, regulation by design and others).
- Develop a critical understanding of technological developments and their impact on society.
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Reading List
| Full reading lists will be shared with the students in advance of each session. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Graduate attributes: Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry:
The students will develop the ability to investigate the ongoing relevance of existing legal principles, the emergence of new ethical and regulatory frameworks, and discuss the merits and drawbacks of different regulatory approaches, in light of the emergence of new digital technologies.
Students will develop familiarity with regulatory approaches and ethical frameworks to assess the impact on, and compatibility with, human rights frameworks of a range of emerging digital technologies, both from a theoretical and practical perspective thanks to a number of practical case-studies discussed through the course.
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual Autonomy:
Students will be encouraged to develop autonomous views on a range of current and emerging issues where definite answers do not exist (yet?) and compare them with those of their peers in seminar discussions.
Reflect on his or her own learning, and to seek and make use of feedback.
Think critically about technology and its impact on and role in contemporary societies.
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Communication:
Through oral classroom discussions and a written summative assessment, students will have the opportunity to practise both forms of communication and, by being asked to discuss and elaborate on the merits of laws and ethical frameworks, both orally and in writing, students will develop analytical abilities as well as the ability to articulate legal reasoning.
Read and discuss legal and technology-related materials which are written in technical and complex language.
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness:
Work effectively with others in groups, contributing, understanding, and valuing diverse experiences, skills, and thinking of each class member.
Demonstrate an ability to organise and prioritise time and effort effectively in the performance of the student's work. |
| Keywords | Digital governance,IT law,democracy,e-governance,artificial intelligence,digital platforms |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Paolo Cavaliere
Tel: (0131 6)51 5137
Email: Paolo.Cavaliere@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Ryan McGuire
Tel: (0131 6)50 2386
Email: Ryan.Mcguire@ed.ac.uk |
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