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Law and Automation (LAWS90240)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
November
Teaching staff:
Samuel Becher
For current student enquiries, contact the Law School Academic Support Office
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | November |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject examines the relationship between law and automation.
“Automation” refers to the use of technology to perform tasks with reduced human intervention, often improving outcomes and efficiency while minimising manual labour. Although the terms “technology” and “automation” often evoke digital innovations, many historical advancements have profoundly influenced the legal system. Beginning with foundational questions about the interaction between technology, justice, and democracy, the subject explores how law has evolved to accommodate or regulate innovation and automation. It traces a path from Bronze Age codes governing tool use, through Classical Age machines that supported democratic participation, to the artefacts of the Printing and Industrial Revolutions, to the present Information Age.
By considering these developments in context, in this subject, students will better assess the significance of more recent technologies, such as the Internet, virtual reality, blockchain, and machine learning, within the broader framework of technological change.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will be able to:
- Identify and analyse challenges automation poses to legal systems.
- Evaluate how the law responds to technological change.
- Develop a holistic understanding of the legal implications of automation.
- Assess whether automation can improve legal systems or advance democratic values.
- Participate in debates on emerging and contemporary issues, including the potential impact of automation on legal decentralisation and democratisation.
Generic skills
On completion of the subject students should have developed the following skills:
- Comprehension skills for understanding historical, theoretical, and doctrinal materials.
- Analytical skills for evaluating multifaceted issues across various contexts.
- Critical thinking skills for performing independent judgment and reflection.
- Cognitive and technical skills for conducting independent analysis and reflection.
- Communication skills for conveying complex concepts.
Last updated: 8 November 2024