International Review of Law, Computers & Technology

The continent of Africa has witnessed many developments in the fields of innovation and creativity in the last decade. For example, the ICT and mobile sectors have grown significantly. Its creative industries are becoming visible more than ever before. While the focus has always been on its extractive sector, different African countries are now exploring how to maximise opportunities offered by other sectors. Africa's digital economy is expected to contribute about $180 billion to its GDP by 2025. The rise of innovators underlined the role that IP and technology could play in the development both internally and externally, and the willingness of national governments to attract foreign direct investments could further boost economic growth and development. However, these promises are undercut by various concerns. Most African countries have weak IP enforcement mechanisms, and fragmented IP frameworks aggravate this. In the area of technology, there are regulatory concerns not limited to ad-hoc tech-related policies, social media tax, and government clampdown on the internet in response to citizens' misuse, which discourages tech entrepreneurs from innovating. There are also concerns about the rise in technology-induced crimes such as online piracy, internet scams, and revenge pornography, among others.

The above presents a summary of the new place of IP and technology in Africa. Significantly, IP and Technology intersect with other disciplines such as agriculture, commerce, health, politics, culture and many more.   This intersection called into question how IP and technology could be used to develop Africa truly. To make the most of technology and innovation, African governments must exploit the momentum of innovations across the continent and remove the remaining barriers to growth and development.

 

Sub Themes for Consideration

• Artificial Intelligence Regulation and Law
• AI and Human Rights
• Technology and Security, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity,
• Privacy and Surveillance
• Gender and Technology, Digital Divide, Internet and Children, Digital cultures
• Technology and Employment
• Smart Contract
• Africa Digital Single Market
• Legal education, regulation, and technology-enhanced learning
• Emerging trends in internet law and policy
• Intellectual property law and technology, AI, Blockchain, NFTs
• Telecommunications law and regulation
• Human rights and technology, Technology and Access to Justice
• Cultural Property
• IP and Public Health
• IP, Gender and Diversity

 

Submissions are invited from academics, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers on the sub-themes of the roundtable. Abstracts of 150 -250 words are to be submitted by Friday, 19 April 2024. The roundtable is scheduled for Thursday, 13 June 2024, at University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom and online. Submissions should be sent to [email protected]   and [email protected]

To celebrate and give further visibility to African scholarship and research in this area, participants will be invited to submit their papers for publication in the Special Edition of the International Review of Law, Computers & Technology Journal.

Important Dates
Submission of Abstract: 19 April 2024
Notification of Acceptance: 30 April 2024
Roundtable Date: 13 June 2024
Full Paper Submission for Publication: 30 September 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Review of Law, Computers & Technology is an international, peer-reviewed journal publishing high-quality, original research. It only publishes articles in English.  Interdisciplinary papers  are welcomed. Full papers should be in the 10,000 – 12,000 words range but 15,000 words papers can also be considered. It is planned to publish the papers in the first quarter of 2025.

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