Technology and Governance

Technological developments have brought about major changes in society and the results of innovation reach into all aspects of everyday life.  Such developments have significant consequences for the way in which commercial and non-commercial organisations operate at a national, European and international level. Technology brings many advantages for such organisations, but also raises considerable legal, ethical and policy challenges. As such, technological change raises significant issues in the practice of governance across a range of scales.

The Technology and Governance cluster researches the ethical, legal, and social implications of the application of technologies in the modern world. Members explore the social, economic and regulatory role of national and international institutions in the development of technology. It considers both philosophical and policy-oriented questions surrounding the proper use of technology in governance. It looks at the role of law in the marketplace, and the difficult balances that must be struck in modern regulatory schemes between the need for regulation and the costs to business organisations of compliance. The cluster has a significant international dimension, focusing on the role of European and international institutions, regulatory regimes, and legislation.