An Introduction to Law and Regulation: Text and Materials (Law in Context)

Contemporary life relies on regulation. The quality and safety of the water we drink, the food we eat, and the social media applications we use are all governed by multiple regulatory regimes. Although rooted in law, regulation is a multidisciplinary endeavour. Debates about regulation, particularly in the face of rapid change and the emergence of new 'risks', are now commonplace. Despite extensive scholarship, regulation is often poorly understood, even by policy-makers, with unintended and even disastrous consequences. This book offers a critical introduction to core theories, concepts, methods, tools, and techniques of regulation, including regulatory policy, instruments, enforcement, compliance, accountability and legitimacy. Weaving extracts from texts drawn from many disciplines with accessible commentary, it introduces this important field to students, scholars, and practitioners in a scholarly yet accessible and engaging manner with discussion questions and additional readings for those seeking to deepen their knowledge.

Karen Yeung is the University of Birmingham's first interdisciplinary professor, based at Birmingham Law School and School of Computer Science, following previous appointments at King's College London and the University of Oxford. She is recognised worldwide as a leading scholar in the law and governance of emerging technologies, including the regulation of AI and regulation by algorithm. She is extensively involved in AI policy in Europe and elsewhere, including membership of the EU's High Level Expert Group on AI.

Sofia Ranchordas is Professor of Administrative Law at Tilburg University and LUISS (Rome) and an Affiliated Fellow at the Yale Information Society Project. She is a leading scholar in regulation and technology. Ranchordas has earned multiple grants for her work on regulation and vulnerability (e.g., NWO-Vidi, WASP-HS). She has served as visiting professor at the Universities of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Her advisory work and research on regulation and technological change, experimental regulations and regulatory sandboxes have prompted legislative changes.