Exploring research & law through The Ghost In The Shell

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by Louise Hatherall

This blog post dissects the 2017 film The Ghost In The Shell and discusses two themes relevant to research the film throws up: the commercialization of research and consent. Please note: there are spoilers for the film contained within the piece.

Science Fiction films may not feel like the most comfortable place to explore issues of research and law, but the recent remake of The Ghost In The Shell raises a myriad of issues whilst probing the boundaries of what it means to be human. The film focuses on a future where the line between human and robot is blurred, with robotic enhancements to one’s body being common place (including reference to an “enhanced liver” to ensure last call never really came). This human/robot division is almost completely obliterated in one case: Mira (played by Scarlett Johansson) has her brain encased in a wholly robotic anthropomorphic shell following an alleged accident in which she nearly died. She is both human and robot, whilst simultaneously being neither. The film follows Mira as she comes to terms with this state of being whilst trying to track down cyber terrorist Kuze. The film is a remake of an anime feature of the same name and has come under substantial criticism due to its whitewashing of Japanese characters. This blog, however, focuses on the content of the film, and two issues it raises: the commercialization of research, and consent.

The Commercialization of Research

In The Ghost In The Shell Mira is ‘built’ by scientist Dr Outlét from funding and resources provided by the commercial outfit Hanka. Hanka’s main function appears to be the creation of weapons to combat cyber terrorism, and Mira is their current ultra-weapon. A being who is sentient, empathetic and can react on instinct cased in a near indestructible robo-body. Dr Outlét’s work is consistently watched and commented on by Cutter, Hanka’s CEO. Throughout the film there is an ongoing tension between Dr Outlét and Cutter over the handling and treatment of the human/cyborg hybrids and who owns them. During the third act of the film Dr Outlét is shot for not abiding the instructions handed down by Cutter. He argues that it is his company and his money therefore the research is owned by him, giving her no power over how it is handled or disseminated.

This is obviously an extreme example of the relationship between scientific research & commercialization. But it raises lots of questions that modern researchers, of all disciplines, have to grapple with. Who owns the Intellectual Property of the work? What happens if the outcome of the research is unfavourable to those who have funded it?  How much should researchers push back on those providing the funding if the research direction goes against their ethics or principles? The relationship between funders and researchers, whilst often healthy, can be a difficult line to tread and can result in problematic research outcomes, as demonstrated by Ben Goldacre’s work on the commercialization of pharmaceutical research.

Consent

“I am Major and I give my consent.” – Mira

“We never needed to ask for your consent” – Dr Outlét

The two quotes above (although not concurrent in the film) demonstrate the paradox of consent in this film. Mira gives her consent to various scientists for accessing the software in her brain – her memories, her thoughts along with what she sees. Consent & law are often frequent partners. Consent to terms and conditions, consent to medical procedures, consent to being quoted or photographed, consent to sex. But law sets the boundaries of who can consent. You cannot legally consent to sex if you are under the age of 16 in the UK. You are unable to provide valid consent if you have been coerced or are mentally incapable of doing so. In the film Mira’s consent is invalid because she is not seen as human. Whilst touched on the film does not truly explore where the line is drawn between robot and human. You could ask if the man with the enhanced robotic liver is robot and therefore considered incapable of giving consent. This may seem an unnecessary question. The film is based in a far off future, so there is plenty of time to debate what makes something human and or what characteristics one must have to be capable of giving consent. But these debates are already happening. This can range from whether dealing with catastrophic injuries compromises your ability to give or withhold consent as well as questions of what we define as “human” when conducting research on chimera stem cells.

A linked issue, mentioned above, is who owns such genetic and biotechnological inventions? My work looks genetic inventions and how they are owned via patents. Some NGOs, such as the ACLU, would argue that no one can own genetic materials and this problem would be exacerbated in the world envisaged by The Ghost In The Shell. Arguably Mira’s brain would remain owned by her but the technology for her body – her software and materials – would be owned by Hanka. Cutter gives the impression that he believes he owns all of Mira, mind and body. This position is incredibly uncomfortable given how close it appears to slavery (and thus the commodification of her human side). But, if she is conceptualized as pure machinery we may be more comfortable with the commodification of her robot self, even if she were able to think, act and feel as if she were human. Of course, what the film does not explore is that Mira – rescued near-death and following an accident – presumably did not consent to the procedure in which her brain is placed “into the shell”.

Consent in the film & the analogy to internet privacy has been made elsewhere (and work done by Chunxiao Zhang at Bristol explores issues of Data Protection and Internet privacy), but certain acts in the film could be construed as medical procedures. Consent in this context is given even where Mira knows little about what procedure she is about to undergo. In one scene she is connected via a computer to another cyborg and goes into a “deep dive”, accessing their memories, without knowing what to expect from the process. In another she gives consent for certain “glitches” in her software to be deleted without knowing what they are or why they are caused. Given the prevalence and importance of consent in modern legal systems you could be forgiven for finding this situation odd; she gave consent with very little information about what she was agreeing to. But this is not as rare as might be hoped. Ben Goldacre’s work (above) shows that the consent model is flawed because doctors do not always have the correct information to give to patients when considering what medicines to prescribe. Work on consent is also being done by Bristol’s own Louise Austin where she explores the role of paternalism and autonomy in consent to medical treatments. Mira trusts Dr Outlét and so follows her guidance almost without question. This may lead Dr Outlét to make calls about Mira without giving the full information because, as the Doctor, she knows best. Giving too much technical information about software and data may scare her, or discourage her from taking actions which are vital to her wellbeing. But does this mean Mira should be prevented from knowing all the information before going forth with such procedures?

These are not easy questions to answer and the purpose of this blog is not to answer them but rather to bring them to the fore for discussion. Some of the source material requires some presumptions – patent law is not usually a rich area for film makers! But, as some science fiction worlds become reality, such movies may provide an interesting base to discuss such issues before the problems presented to the characters become a reality.

 

An Englishman’s Home is his Castle: Implications for Generation Rent

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by Ed Burtonshaw-Gunn

The housing ‘crisis’, as it is so commonly claimed to be, is not a crisis for everyone. For those who already own their own home, or perhaps a second investment property to rent, clearly there is no crisis; there is exceptional prosperity. Demand outstrips supply and has done for decades, especially in the most desirable of areas. As Channel 4’s Kirsty and Phil keep reminding us, property is all about Location, Location, Location.

House building rates have still yet to recover from the decade-high levels seen prior to the 2007 economic recession. And what of the building rates so far in this decade when compared to the 1960s and 1970s? Less than half.  Years of failing to build homes result in only one thing; house prices continue to soar due to limited supply and increasing demand. To look at the whole of London, the average home is now tantalisingly close to £500,000, double that from a decade ago. And the rest of the UK doesn’t fare much better. Figures from Nationwide Building Society show that for first time buyers, the average house price is over 5 times that of earnings. This drastic increase undoubtedly affects the entire housing market; not just those buying but also those renting in the private market or through ‘affordable homes’.

As such, a central effect of the housing crisis is not just on houses, but on social equality; segregating the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ through an unfair line drawn, quite crudely, between the generations. While this topic affects not just the blossoming generation, but all those whom were unable to step onto that notorious property ladder, the effects on today’s young adults are most predominant.

As the foundations of the crisis lies in the basis of this inequality, alongside the desire to provide for the opportunity of homeownership for this generation, then the response is overtly rather simple. To build more homes. This is an undisputed need supported across the private and public sectors, by housing experts, government figures and academics alike. And yet, even with this established proposition to respond to the crisis through housing production, the target of “a million homes by 2020” is currently severely underperforming. But why you ask? With all the political agenda and public policies championing such change, how is there still an absolute failure in achieving this goal?

My research aims to answer this question fundamental to society. What are the obstacles to housing production, and what can be done about them? Researching through the setting of comparing two UK cities, Bristol – the historical “second city of the empire” in the South, and Liverpool – the long-established industrial dockyards in the North of England. Both cities feature extensive redevelopment and innovation over recent decades. However, the prerequisite for these great cities differs in housing demands, supply, and context.

Fundamentally, my research questions the extent to which obstacles to housing production exist; and, principally, the four environments in which these barriers occur. By questioning first the roles of the legal context through the requisite for planning permission. Secondly, the spatial discourse of land availability. Thirdly, the social influences of development through oppositions of housing construction by local communities. And fourth and finally, the economic factor of land value impacts beyond the simple price of the bricks and mortar. This research endeavours to understand society in the context of housing production; and housing production in the context of society.

Predominantly, it matters because this is a major crisis of this generation. The very real possibility of being unable to achieve the obsession so inherent in British nature carries with it vast consequences for now, and for future generations. Without homeownership, individuals are stagnant in the private rented market, placing increasing pressure on an already overstretched and underachieving sector. Leading to greater competition and greater expenses between individuals for, what is becoming worryingly more frequent, undesirable and uninhabitable living conditions. The effects of such actions cascade down across society; even a simple web search of ‘beds in sheds’ will show the shocking effects of landlord empowered ‘housing’ on society’s most vulnerable.

Additionally, the long-term effects remain to be fully identified. With such a fundamental idea that a house is not just a home, but is a material possession for personal security, a financial asset for retirement, and ultimately the foundation of inheritance for one’s children; the true cost of the housing crisis for the future remains unseen. And that is a terrifying prospect. This is ‘Generation Rent’, and these factors are fundamental to us all. If there is any hope of maintaining that much famed idiom that an Englishman’s home really is his castle, then this is why this research matters.

 

Ed is a current PhD Candidate at Bristol Law School. More information about his research can be found at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/law/people/ed-burtonshaw-gunn/index.html 

Employment Security and the ILO Instruments: An introductory note

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 “More than 61 million jobs have been lost since the start of the global crisis in 2008 and our projections show that unemployment will continue to rise until the end of the decade. This means the jobs crisis is far from over so there is no place for complacency.”

(ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, 20 January 2015)

Introduction

In the era of economic crisis, the dramatic increase of unemployment and poverty levels have alarmed the international community to take drastic measures and improve the protection of labour and welfare rights. The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations, which aims among others to promote labour rights and enhance social protection.  Employment security is a fundamental form of security, which plays a key role in addressing economic challenges. Here, I attempt to give a brief introduction to the concept of employment security and examine to what extent employment security has been integrated in the ILO instruments.

Defining Employment Security

Employment security is defined as “the protection against loss of income-earning work” (ILO Socio-economic programme, 2004). It is noteworthy that “employment security” is defined differently between self-employed and wage/salary workers.  Particularly, the definition of “employment security” for salary/wage workers refers to “the strong protection against unfair or arbitrary dismissal”.  Whereas, for self-employed workers, it refers to “the protection against sudden loss of independent work, and/or business failure”.

The Report titled as “Economic insecurity is a global crisis”, based on the ILO’s Socio-Economic Security Programme (SES), has prescribed that economic security is an umbrella term that constitutes two major divisions: basic social security and work-related security.   Employment security differs from job security but both are two core components of the work-related branch of economic security.  Employment security refers to the opportunity of a worker to retain his employment, whereas job security refers to the ability of a worker to retain his job which is very suitable to him (i.e. a job position which is in conjunction with his interests, abilities, training and skills).

ILO Instruments on Employment Security

In 1944, the ILO has firstly introduced the concept of employment security through the adoption of the Declaration of Philadelphia. The Declaration of Philadelphia, which is binding upon all ILO member States, has embedded employment security under the umbrella of economic security (Part II(a) of the Declaration of Philadelphia).  Few decades later, the ILO has adopted Convention on the Termination of Employment (No.158) and its corresponding Recommendation (No.166)Recommendation (N.166).  Convention No.158 sets out the core principles for the protection of workers against unfair dismissals.  It stipulates that a dismissal can be justified only for reasons related to “capacity or conduct of the worker or based on the operational requirements of the undertaking, establishment or service” (article 4 of Convention No.158).  Furthermore, it prescribes that particular reasons, such as race and marital status shall not constitute valid reasons for termination of employment (article 5 of Convention No.158).  After Slovakia has ratified Convention No.158 in 2010, the total number of ratifications to Convention No.158 has increased to 36.  The limited number of ratifications shows that Convention No.158 has not been warmly embraced by the ILO Members.  This should create concerns regarding the reasons lying behind the reluctance of the ILO member States to implement international labour standards on employment security.

Just before the outbreak of economic crisis, the ILO has managed to set employment security at the centre of effective labour protection by adopting the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization (2008).  The Declaration 2008 has prompted all ILO member States to adopt the ILO Instruments on Employment Security.  Particularly, it has urged ILO member States to implement Convention No.158 and Recommendation R.166 (as legal framework) in order to examine to what extent Decent Work Agenda has been implemented at the national level (ILO, “Manual on Concepts and Definitions of Decent Work Indicators”, 2012).

Conclusion

The ILO has taken an important step by adopting the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization (2008), which is binding upon all ILO member States.  However, this step should have been taken well-before the outbreak of economic crisis. This would have been given time for preparation to both, the ILO member States and the ILO, to adopt the appropriate legal framework in order to enhance employment security and increase resilience to future economic shocks.  As Ashleigh Brilliant stated “Nothing we can do can change the past, but everything we do changes the future.”  Hence, even if the ILO has not placed employment security at the heart of effective labour protection before the outbreak of economic crisis, it should continue and intensify its efforts to promote employment security.  According to the “Report of the Committee on Employment and Social Policy: 12th Item on the Agenda” (306th Session, November 2009), this goal should only be achieved by creating employment opportunities, enhancing workers’ skills, abilities, job experience and by integrating them into labour market.

Useful Material

  1. ILO official website (about the ILO)
  2. Employment protection legislation database – EPLex  (this database gives useful information on the legislation on termination of employment for each country)

Post by: Christiana Antonoudiou, PhD Candidate in Labour Law and Human Rights at University of Bristol Law School

 

Preparing for the Viva

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Preparing for the viva voce? This can be a daunting and scary process. This is not only because there are elements of the unknown, but also because of what the event of the viva marks in the ‘PhD journey’. Anxiety and apprehension before the viva may also be exacerbated by ‘horror stories’, about vivas that have not gone well. I suggest that you put the ‘horror stories’ in the bin, approach preparing for the viva voce as another learning process in the ‘PhD journey’, and view the viva as an opportunity to discuss your work with experts in your field that are interested in your work! Williams et al (2011) suggest that the viva “allows you to demonstrate your understanding in a different way from the written form of your thesis” (Williams et al 2011: p. 85). This post is aimed at sharing some tips in preparing for one’s viva, and providing reassurance in that preparation, as well as hopefully limiting nerves during the preparation process.

 

Preparation is Key

image001Once you have the date for your viva you can start preparing for it. Preparation for the viva        is an iterative process consisting of:

  • Reading and re-reading your thesis;
  • Apprehending questions that may be asked in the viva;
  • Thinking about answers to those questions; and
  • Having practice sessions answering those questions.
  • Also making sure that you eat well, sleep well, and get some exercise.

 

The Viva: What to Expect?

image003Your institution’s guidelines will provide you with an understanding of the shape and form that your viva will take. Discussion with your supervisors, colleagues, and others that have recently had their viva will also enable you to ‘build’ a picture of what to potentially expect. It is important to familiarise yourself with your institution’s regulations and/or code of practice. The University of Bristol’s Regulations and Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes can be found here. See section 9.1 on the assessment process; section 9.3 on the role of the examiners; section 9.4 on the oral examination itself; section 9.5 on assessment outcomes, including the examiners’ recommendations; and section 9.6 for results. You may also want to have a look at the Examiner’s Preliminary Report Form and Examiner’s Joint Report Form, concerning the points your examiners will be considering. These can be found under the heading ‘Forms and Guidance Notes for Administrators and Examiners’ here . For discussion on the examiner’s reports, see Williams et al (2011), Chapter 18 – The examiner and the examiners’ report.

 

 Read and Re-read your Thesis                   

image005You know your thesis inside out; you’ve worked on it for X years and Y months. Nevertheless, you’ll still need to read and re-read it. This is a very important part of the preparation process. Whilst reading your thesis make summaries, for example one page summaries per chapter may help you prioritise the most important points to talk about per chapter, or you can make very short summaries of your chapters and findings in bullet form. Re-reading will also help you remember the physical location in the text, of particular discussions and key points. You can also use sticky tabs and/or a highlighter to allow easy access to individual chapters and places at which you made key points, which you may want to directly refer to in the text during the viva. Importantly, reading and re-reading will also enable you to view your thesis from different perspectives. In addition to reading your thesis revisit your examiners’ work so to think about the perspectives from which they may be approaching your work. Also revisit key literature to your work, for example of scholars whose points you use and/or build upon. You may also want to think about how you may structure an answer if you were to defend why using X or Y’s work. You may also want to visit new literature that may have been published since you submitted your thesis.

 

What type of Questions to Expect?

image007I will not here provide examples of types of questions you may be asked in the viva as there are numerous great resources available which have example questions that may be asked in your viva. For such materials see for example, ‘VivaCards’ and the list of ‘Other materials I found useful’ (see below). Use these example questions (as well as adapting these questions to your work) alongside re-reading your thesis, to think about your thesis. Including, your literature review, the methodology you used, the main findings, the original contribution to knowledge, the work’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as implications, dissemination and further research.

 

Practice, Practice, Practice

image001The first couple of times you sit down to do a ‘practice answering questions’ session is likely to feel strange, do not let this put you off. It is important to remember that like the Ph.D. journey, preparing for the viva is too a learning process. Although during one’s Ph.D. journey, one becomes accustomed to talking about their research with their supervisor/s, at conferences, and with the occasional person that wants to know a little more about what it is that one ‘does’ whilst ‘doing a PhD’; one is not necessarily used to moving between elements of the whole thesis in discussion or talking about their doctoral research for more than an hour, this takes some getting used to and requires practice. The process of ‘practice answering questions’ sessions will get you used to, and in the flow of, answering questions on your work for a long period of time (vivas can last from one to three hours). You can, for example, arrange to do daily half hour or one hour, ‘practice answering questions’ sessions for a week or so before the viva (but ideally not the night before), with a friend/partner/family member. These sessions will not only aid you in thinking about how to answer questions but will also get you used to continually answering this type of questions for a period of more than one hour.

 

 Have a Mock Viva

image009Your supervisors will have suggested you have a mock viva, or if this hasn’t come up yet ask them for one. The mock viva is another very important part of the preparation, it not only gives you a feel for what the real thing may be like, it also enables you to reflect on how the mock viva went and utilise those learnings for the real viva.

 

 Create a ‘Viva Checklist’

image011During your preparation put together a ‘viva checklist’ of items to take into the viva with you. The key item on your list will be a copy of your thesis (with sticky tabs and highlighted bits). Your ‘viva checklist’ may look like this:

  • Thesis;
  • Statute book (dependent upon the content of your thesis);
  • Water bottle (talking is thirsty work!); and
  • A notepad and pen/pencil for any notes you may want to take at the end.

 

Useful Preparatory Resources

Here I set out some of the resources I found particularly useful in preparing for the viva:

 Session on Preparing for the Vivaimage013

Most departments organise a session on preparing for the viva voce. These are extremely useful, especially as they allow you to gain the perspectives from a person that both has done the viva but also examines Ph.D. theses.

 

‘Viva Cards’

image015‘VivaCards’ These are great! Once you’ve done your initial preparation and feel ready to start practicing answering questions, you can then ask people you know to do ‘practice answering questions’ sessions with you. The VivaCards are a pack of cards with potential questions that may be asked in the viva, for example “If you could start again what would you do differently?” (VivaCards). They are grouped into four categories a) “introductory context”, b) “methods, design and analysis”, c) “results and discussion”, and d) “implications and utilisation” (VivaCards). They are a brilliant preparation tool, as they enable you to practice with anyone, irrelevant of how much or how little they know about your work.

Further materials I found useful

 

Good luck in preparing for your viva!

Post by: Dr Emily Kakoullis, University of Bristol Law School.

 

 

Pension reform in the UK

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Introduction

My research interests concern the roles of the numerous stakeholders in occupational pensions, including scheme members, employers, governments and the European Union. The OECD produces an international comparative review of pension systems across OECD countries, the latest version of this report was published on 1 December 2015. The following comment briefly considers some of the recent reforms to the UK pensions system and highlights the need to maintain a focus upon the social importance of occupational pensions, particularly in light of their increasing role in the UK in providing for people in old age through initiatives such as automatic enrolment.

The UK position

The OECD Pensions at a Glance report provides a global perspective of pension systems in OECD countries over the two year period between September 2013 and September 2015 (the “OECD report”). It was observed that there has been a period of “intense reform activity” over the past ten years.  The UK is amongst the many countries that have taken action to address the pressing social and economic issues involved with pension provision.

Since the introduction of the state pension in 1908, the UK has typically provided a low level of state pension which has encouraged individual citizens to save for themselves through private arrangements or through being members of occupational pension schemes provided by their employers.  According to the OECD report, the UK state pension will provide 22% replacement of average earnings following the reforms to the state pension system to be introduced in April 2016. This will improve the rate of the state pension in the UK,  but the level will still be below that in many other countries. The UK system is contribution based, being dependent upon National Insurance Contributions whereas other systems such as in New Zealand are residence based and provide 40% replacement of earnings. The total public spending on pensions according to the OECD report is 5.6% of GDP whereas the average is 7.9%.  It must be remembered that any consideration of state pension provision must be seen in the context of the welfare system, tax rules and occupational pension provision specific to that country.

The political philosophy of encouraging citizens to provide for themselves is routed in liberal, individualistic traditions and is evident from the original welfare system reforms that followed the Beveridge Report of 1942. The early reforms saw the introduction of a contributory state pension provided to everyone at a flat rate for the rest of their lives. However, the low level of the state pension created an opening for more employers to provide occupational pensions. In the current environment, an uncertain economic situation and longer life expectancy has meant that state systems are under considerable strain and the role of the employer in providing for employees in their old age is of ever increasing importance.

Current pensions policy in the UK has seen a continued increase to the role for the employer, with the introduction of automatic enrolment being phased in between October 2012 and February 2018.  Following initial legislation in the Pensions Act 2008, employers are now compelled to enrol their employees into a pension scheme and to make contributions to that scheme.

The current government has also enacted legislation to permit members of defined contribution schemes (also known as money purchase schemes), to access their pension on retirement as cash instead of being obliged to purchase an annuity, increasing the individual’s control over their retirement finances.

Looking to the future, the Summer Budget statement in July 2015 announced the launch of the consultation into whether tax relief for pension contributions should continue in its existing form. The consultation ran from 8 July 2015 to 30 September 2015 and the responses are being considered, according to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement and Spending Review (issued on 25 November 2015) an announcement will be made in the 2016 Budget.

A global outlook

The OECD report observed that about half of OECD countries have enacted pension reforms such as reducing indexation (increases to make allowance for inflation), amendments to pension tax relief, increasing contribution rates and increasing retirement ages. Such reforms seek to reduce the negative effects of an aging population, the slow recovery after the global economic crisis, low returns on investments and low interest rates.

The OECD report observes that recent pension reform to pay-as-you-go systems have had an impact but sees the next major issue for pensions as being one of “social sustainability” and whether pensions will be adequate to support people in their increasing old age.

Conclusions

There are numerous actors within the occupational pensions system, each with financially motivated agendas which often come into conflict. For example, an employer providing a funded defined benefit scheme in the UK will often be faced with difficulty funding a scheme with a significant deficit and seek to save costs; the government must balance the complex issues of state pension spending and incentivising occupational and private pension savings through tax reliefs; and a scheme member is primarily concerned with ensuring that they receive the benefits that they expected to receive in order to provide for them in their retirement.

With the increasing role of occupational pensions in providing for employees in their retirement, the social function of occupational pensions must be kept at the forefront of any policy initiatives. The EU as a stakeholder in pensions has emphasised the need for adequate, safe and sustainable pensions following its 2012 White Paper and has provided useful resources for considering pension provision thorough initiatives such as the EU Ageing Working Group and the OECD report which is part funded by the European Commission. The perspectives gained from working with other countries to develop and share information on addressing concerns about aging, sustainability and adequacy of pensions from a social, member focused perspective, provides an example of a positive benefit from EU involvement in pensions.

James Kolaczkowski

PhD Candidate
University of Bristol Law School

 

Law and the big (small) screen… Movies for Christmas ☺

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As we hurtle towards the Christmas break, likely tired from a term of juggling the demands of teaching, writing, interviewing, coding, theoretical frameworks, conference presentations, conference organisation, balancing a budget (delete as appropriate)… there exists a small window to stop, to reflect on the year gone by, as well as the year to come, and maybe to rest a little…

Life as a researcher in an academic institution is fraught with many tensions – the privilege of indulging (!) in a personal in-depth research project, the demands of the solitary PhD process, wrestling with our findings – how to communicate them, what they mean, and constant focus on why this matters, what’s it for, and what comes next?

In such moments standing back a little can give us the perspective we need. Our media, the blogs we follow, the newsletters we receive, maybe those we know working ‘in the field’, can help us get beyond the academic process and its demands for words on a page (can you tell I’m writing up?!). One thing that helps me is film. And, as a Christmas offering I want to recommend a few feature-length documentaries that give me a sense of the world in which we live and work, and also the role that research, communication and indeed passion can play in engaging with some of the fiercest challenges we face. You may even carve out a couple hours to watch one or two… and please do share your own recommendations in the comments below.

War Don Don – directed and produced by a Harvard Law School Lecturer – documents the work of the ‘Special Court for Sierra Leone’ and the trial of Issa Sesay – for prosecutors a war criminal, guilty of heinous crimes against humanity, and for his defenders, a reluctant fighter who protected civilians and played a crucial role in bringing peace to Sierra Leone. Through his case the purpose and processes of international justice are held up for examination.

E-Team follows four members of Human Rights Watch’s ‘emergencies team’ – rapid-response investigators of alleged human rights abuses in crisis situations – as they smuggle themselves into Syria and Libya to investigate, document and then decide what to do with the evidence of abuses they find. What role does international law and notions of accountability play when violent chaos ensues?

Virunga tells the story of the small team of park rangers in Virunga National Park in eastern DR Congo, earth’s last remaining home for mountain gorillas, as they struggle to protect the bio-diversity of the park from the challenge of continuing violence and insecurity, M23 insurgency, and international oil corporations intent on accessing an alleged new supply.

http://youtu.be/Wu-vjWd7Tb8

Mitt follows Mitt Romney’s quest for the Presidency of the United States from 2006-2012. Whatever your political leanings, this is an intriguing movie for its access to Romney and his family, and also to the wider electoral processes in the US’s political systems.

Discussion of some or all of these will follow in the New Year – what do you think?

Research methods and methodologies conference

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The University of Bristol Law School hosted a one–day conference on legal research methods and methodologies on 16 September 2014. The conference was organised by a committee of postgraduate researchers with the intention of showcasing a diverse range of methods and methodologies across doctrinal, conceptual, comparative, international, socio-legal and empirical research.

The organisers are very grateful to all the participants and to the university for the opportunity to successfully host this conference which gave postgraduate researchers and more experienced academics the opportunity to present about their research and share experiences of using various methods and methodologies.

Details of the conference and materials can be found at the conference website by following this link here.

Welcome

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Welcome to the University of Bristol Law School postgraduate research (PGR) community blog!

This blog is a space for Law School PGRs to share news, views, ideas and comment on matters of interest to PGRs here in Bristol and beyond. It is run for PGRs by PGRs.

The blog hopes to highlight useful information on, research methodology and methods; resources; approaches to teaching; and to highlight research and issues relevant to the work we are engaged in.

If you have any comments or questions about this blog please contact the administrators.

We hope you find this blog interesting and useful!

The blog administrators are Emily Kakoullis, James Kolaczkowski and Jim Robinson.