Rights and Technology group
Overview
Our interdisciplinary group interrogates digital transformations from a justice, equity and human rights lens. It includes a diverse mix of scholars working in law and society, anthropology, sociology, architecture, computer science, political science, media studies, global sustainability, and public health.
Vision
The vision for this group is local and global, with “one foot in the field and one in the library”. We aim to institutionalise work on rights in the digital age in collaboration with a transnational community of rights scholars, researchers, practitioners and students who work together to imagine (and create) the digital transformation “otherwise”.
As a group we are interested in exploring a variety of issues including the influence of commercial actors on welfare systems and human rights], the need to create spaces for morevoices beyond the global North on human rights and tech governance, the potential and limitations of human rights in the face of these challenges, and new models of rights-based, deliberative, participatory approaches to tech governance.
Activities
Research: Our research is represented by a wide variety of expertise in the group including in digital health governance, data justice, transitional justice, digital rights, digital cultures, gender and labour rights, participatory governance and research methodologies and access to justice.
Knowledge exchange: We envision sharing research and collaborating in developing new toolswith civil society, communities, governments, funding agencies and international organisations in the West Midlands and beyond. We have ongoing collaborations with partners, including the Digital Health and Rights ProjectLink opens in a new windowconsortium and new MOUs signed by CIM with WHO and UNDPLink opens in a new window.
Policy and public engagement: Our work engages in public debates in the United Kingdom and globally, through sharing research, convening, and policy impact.
Collaborative Outputs
Articles
Our first collaborative output is a piece in Global Policy Link opens in a new windowthat explored the digital transformation of health in the UK and the influence of the defence firm Palantir. The piece raises concern around sovereignty, institutional dependency and rising inequality that is being exacerbatedbecause of this deal.
Workshop
In the Winter term 2026/2027, we will be organising a workshop which explores theorizing human rights in the digital age. Stay tuned for updates.
Contact
If you are interested in joining the group, or finding out more, please reach out to the convenors Prof. Meg DavisLink opens in a new window and Dr. Siddharth de SouzaLink opens in a new window.
Members
Selected Current Research
| Research Lead | Research Title | Research Type |
| Law, Technology and Development Circle |