Hedwig van Rossum ‘Academic Legal Education in the Risk Society’

by admin on januari 22, 2017

Lecturers in academic legal education face new challenges, for their students will practice their profession in a complex society that is changing with increasing speed due to technological innovations.Once, these innovations helped to conquer the problems of industrial society, but now modern society recognizes that technological development is accompanied by risks. These risks have become the main focus of society, because they are irreversible and continuous threats to human life. Furthermore, contemporary risks are self-manufactured, uncontrollable, depend on risk taxation and escape responsibility. As lecturers, we need to equip our students to be professionals in these circumstances of the risk society. Indeed, lawyers will encounter globalization (1),demystification of technology (2) and uncertainty in the attribution of responsibility (3). These challenges demand skills and knowledge that are currently not central to legal education. For example, globalization will demand excellent communication and collaboration skills; the demystification of technology will require lawyers to acquire knowledge beyond the legal field and the abilities of critical thinking, reflection and creativity; and the uncertainty in the attribution of responsibility will demand legal professionals to take responsibility in finding innovative and creative solutions to difficulties in a society that has to do with infinite uncertainty. Therefore, it is time for lecturers in law schools to design appropriate curricula, courses and teaching methods.

 

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