| Research
The
institute's mission is to further the development of
information law into a balanced framework that
accommodates the needs and interests of the information
society. To this end, IViR brings together all the legal
disciplines necessary to study the regulatory framework
for the production, dissemination and use of
information. Information law is a discipline where many
areas of law meet, notably: intellectual property law,
fundamental rights of communication (notably privacy and
freedom of expression), regulation of government
information and commercial information and the market
regulation of information networks (telecommunications,
broadcasting and other media). Information law is not
restricted to one particular type of information
technology, but applies the principles developed for old
('analogous') media to electronic media, reassessing
them were necessary. The institute has played a
pioneering role in this approach which has been followed
home and abroad.
IViR
research particularly focuses on the convergence
processes between the different media and distribution
functions and their repercussions on law and policy.
Information law is a normative concept, which means that
it is to contribute to a normative framework for a well
balanced organisation of the information society.
Information
law can be defined as the body of law governing the
production, the storage, the distribution and the use of
information.Information law finds itself in a
multidisciplinary field of tension, in which cultural,
economic, technical and administrative aspects meet.
IViR's
 research
programme consists of seven parts, that may
somewhat overlap. These correspond largely to (Dutch and
continental European) statute law. Our research focuses
on all those areas characterised by new developments
that are mostly inspired by digitalisation, without
losing sight of 'analogue' information law. See the
left-hand bar for further information about individual
subject areas.
All
of the research conducted by IViR staff members leads to
publications. In practice, the research programme
consists partly of Ph.D. research and partly of
short-term projects (up to one year) and projects of
longer duration (up to four years). A considerable
portion of the research is financed by funds acquired by
IViR from external academic sources (in particular, the
Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
(KNAW). The Institute also carries out research that has
been commissioned by third parties, especially public
bodies such as governmental ministries, the Scientific
Council for Government Policy (WRR) and other advisory
bodies, the Press Fund, the European Commission,
European Parliament and the Council of Europe. Such
research is also carried out in the form of projects as
part of the research programme.
Details
of the main research (projects) currently conducted by
the Institute are presented in the table. Details of
completed research can be found under Publications.
Research in Dutch or other languages can be found here.
|
