Public Law and New Technologies (P02949)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : LAW-P-P02631

"Public Law and New Technologies" is an investigation of the relationship between traditional issues in public law scholarship and the emerging challenges and opportunities created by ICTs (information and communication technologies).

We will explore the ways in which new technologies alter (or perhaps, don't alter) the modes and practices of public law. Novel issues such as e-democracy (including e-voting), e-governance and the digital divide will be studies from both legal, political scientific and comparative perspectives. We will also examine how long standing concerns in constitutional law are impacted by ICTs, e.g. free speech/political communication online, ICTs and privacy rights, the quality (rather than the quality) of democratic politics and how ICTs change the nature of political financing.

The course will seek to answer questions as to whether new forms of democracy are being generated by new technologies, whether ICTs can/do delivery on their potential of creating 'ideal speech situations', and whether ICTs allow us to do 'new things' in public law, or just new ways of doing 'old things'.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Law, (School of Law, Schedule F)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
23/09/2008	11:10	13:00	Moot Court Room, Old College	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Tutorial	Tuesday	11:10	13:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

(1) Communication skills
The course requires students to submit written work for assessment, to a deadline and within a word limit and thereby encourages them to develop the technique of writing in a clear and concise fashion. The course also provides the opportunity for students to extend their oral skills by requiring them to take a full part in the discussion of the seminar; this may involve students in making presentations to the class.

(2) Intellectual Skills
The course encourages students to develop the intellectual skills of collecting, organising and evaluating evidence. The course requires students to develop their skills in presenting evidence in a balanced way and in analysing the weak and strong points of arguments and to synthesise these in the process of solving problems.

(3) General Skills
The requirements of the course encourage students to develop skills in managing time, working independently and taking responsibility for their own work.