Emerging technologies have both advanced and inhibited the rule of law around the world. This thematic symposium focused on three areas of particular interest to rule of law practitioners: enforcement, engagement, and e-governance.
Specifically, experts on enforcement innovations to the rule of law addressed emerging approaches in law enforcement, including advances in forensic science, digital evidence, and other approaches to law enforcement programming. Second, the symposium addressed innovative forms of public engagement by examining the emerging roles of social media and mobile apps. Novel popular engagement tools have expanded and proliferated in a variety of contexts to both extend and inhibit the rule of law, such as launching innovative criminal detection techniques or supporting revolutionary responses to corruption scandal. Finally, speakers examined the emerging frontier of e-governance. This session considered how e-governance has improved and enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of information and services and how e-governance is transforming the relationships between the public sector, private citizens, and businesses to work in more collaborative ways.
The symposium considered both the opportunities and limitations of technology and also addressed the challenges of technology in countries at different stages of development.