10 May 2019 | ACCA 2019
Programme
REGISTRATION
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Law as a tool for risk management, a call for vigilance?
The numerous crisis we face – economical, sanitary, ecological, democratic, migratory, social, etc – have revealed the deficiencies of the Welfare-State in nowadays’ risk management. In this “society of risk” – an expression we owe to the German sociologist Ulrich Beck’s – a new form of vigilance appears.
The word “vigilance” originates from the Latin vigilantia (habit of watching, watchfulness). According to the CNRTL (Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicale), it means a “sustained attention in looking after someone or something” and, in the field of technologies, it describes a “lever alerting a control or security system”. In 1530, a study about French language by John Palsgrave, known as “PALSGR”, defined the vigilance as a “supervision conducted in order to plan, warn or report” (PALSGR, p. 287). This idea of vigilance as deeply linked to human watch seems particularly relevant today, as it is in line with democratic movements calling for more participation, accountability and openness.
In a broad meaning, vigilance can be human or technical. When it is human, it can be public or civic, active or passive. The legislator can promote it, directly or indirectly. It can take various forms:
- Right of inquiry, of assembly or of association;
- Freedom of speech;
- Special and investigative parliamentary committees;
- Parliamentary inquiries;
- Civil liability and duty of care;
- Legal protection for incompetent adults;
- Reporting, whistleblowing or notification duties;
- Accountability and answerability;
- Personal data protection (data breach, security breach…);
- Corporate social responsibility, code of conduct, compliance;
- …
The themes of risk and vigilance raise numerous issues, which question our society’s model and the role we would like the State to embrace, as historical guardian of our security and liberties.
Researchers, assistants and PhD students of Law faculties all over Belgium are invited to take part in the workshops. Presentations may be in French, Dutch or English and shall not exceed 15 minutes. They will be followed by a Q&A session of about 10 minutes.
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