International Law & The Digital Economy

This subject examines the intersections of digital technologies, international law, and global economic development. Taking its cue from Tuvalu's proposition for a digital twin and the concept of digital nations, the course delves into the evolution of data jurisdictions, the role of corporations in international governance, and the transformative impact of information technologies on states, societies, and economies. Students will scrutinise the role of corporate entities as pivotal players in governance, locate tech companies in the development framework of technology transfer, and retrace the influence of cybernetics on legal theory and practice in the age of information technologies. The syllabus challenges the delineation between state and non-state actors by tracing tools of statecraft both old and new such as concession agreements, special economic zones, platforms, the rise of network states and Decentralised Autonomous Organisations.