Studying online (if an online offering is shown below)
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
This unit will explore global developments in the law and governance of technology, focusing particularly on digital technologies. This leads to encounters with privacy, intellectual property, internet governance, competition, consumer protection, and the law and politics of data, automation, and artificial intelligence. Of particular interest is the question of when the law does and—perhaps more interestingly, given the political economy of technology—when the law does not intervene. Consideration will be given to domestic and international legal developments, including supranational instruments and coordinated regulatory actions. Equipped with tools from within and beyond law, students will critically engage with the political, social and legal challenges of technological change, with an emphasising on moving beyond problem-definition to exploring and identifying solutions.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
(see Timetable) Availability Location Mode Non-standard teaching period UWA (Perth) Face to face - Outcomes
Students are able to (1) explain to both legal and non-legal audiences the primary areas of law that interact with and apply to technology, both nationally and internationally; (2) describe the technology policy landscape in key jurisdictions locally, nationally, and internationally; (3) evaluate the affordances, dependencies, and deficiencies of digital technologies; (4) critically analyse and compare the law and governance landscape pertaining to digital technologies within different local, national, and global contexts; (5) assess different legal and non-legal responses to technological change; (6) develop informed analysis on current law and governance debates around digital technologies; and (7) develop convincing arguments for law and governance reform, both nationally and internationally.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) assignment; (2) essay; and (3) exam. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Associate Professor Julia Powles and Professor Jacqueline Alderson
- Unit rules
- Contact hours
- This unit will run from 01-05 September 2025. Students must attend every day of the intensive period.
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.