Ateneo - UPO

The course focuses on effective communication techniques and models for full employability and the analysis of legal informatics content, with particular reference to the issues of artificial intelligence and its application to the legal field.

Please refer to the individual module descriptions for details of the materials and reference texts indicated by the lecturers.

The course aims to provide students with theoretical and methodological tools in the field of verbal and non-verbal codes and languages. Knowledge and understanding - The course aims to analyse the textual and legal matrices of the concept of the network in the evolution of technological thought in order to arrive at an analysis of contemporary issues surrounding the concept of law. Contrary to some reductive and outdated interpretations, which view law as a norm imposed by the state that applies to a new technological context, it is necessary to radically transform the conception of the role of the jurist within the technological themes of information technology and artificial intelligence, in order to train legal professionals capable of adopting a proactive approach to the problems that rapid technological evolution poses to legal knowledge and information technology professionals capable of deeply understanding the nature of legal science and its proximity to information technology knowledge.

The normal propaedeuticities apply

The course consists of lessons that focus on interactive classroom activities, role playing and simulations, and research activities.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Alongside traditional lessons, the course will include actual research activities aimed at developing critical thinking skills and continuous assessment methods. The course will make use of images and video materials.

Starting from the social studies on science analysed in the first part of the course, we will develop a notion of the network of law within the scope of general legal theory, capable of reflecting the network concept of the text present in the glossators, to the point of showing its similarity with the notion of hypertextual text at the basis of HTML language. At the same time, we will show how recent developments in legal knowledge and the increased role of jurisprudence configure the legal system as a network model that has profound affinities with the epistemological theory of information underlying the development of computer networks. The analysis will then focus on the link between the historical evolution of the notion of legal personhood and the more sensitive issues of internal and external social robotics and “living with robots” as a specific feature of contemporary society. The course will analyse the impact of big data, surveillance capitalism, sentiment analysis, social networks and the aesthetic and media component of regulation on the evolution of contemporary legal systems and the legislation governing these areas, with particular attention to digital privacy, the use of artificial intelligence, blockchain and smart contracts.

At the end of the course, students will have gained awareness of soft skills and strengthened those most important for employability; they will have acquired skills in effective communication, both written and oral, applied in professional contexts; they will know how to negotiate, operate using communication in social networks and in the most appropriate professional context, as well as in the transition process from education to work. Knowledge – Knowledge of the topics indicated, with particular regard to epistemology, hermeneutics and legal aesthetics, media theory, sentiment analysis, social robotics, and the use of AI for law. Development of independent critical thinking skills in each of the fields indicated. Skills – Development of critical skills related to the regulation of artificial intelligence in law, big data, digital privacy, and social networks. Development of independent research on sources and appropriate communication in scientific and media contexts on these topics. Skills – Development of basic legal competence in the analysis of social interaction and human-machine relationships, ability to identify legal issues hidden in the adoption of innovative technologies, improvement of effective communication skills in a context of interdisciplinary design and programming with experts from different fields of knowledge.