Category: Sector: Justice

Hard Questions: Justice

  • Call for Book Chapters: OUR AI PROBLEMS

    Call for Book Chapters: OUR AI PROBLEMS

    Call for Book Chapters: Our AI Problems (Edited Volume)

    We believe that there are no easy answers when it comes to artificial intelligence and society. Across jurisdictions and decision-making bodies, those who develop or enforce regulations are confronted with difficult questions. These challenges arise for many reasons: the issues are often embedded in complex sociotechnical systems, lack straightforward solutions, or involve tensions between competing values and needs.

    The editors hold that AI can be of great service for humanity. At the same time, current regulatory frameworks lag far behind what is needed to ensure just, safe, and equitable access and outcomes. 

    Policymakers and subject-matter specialists are increasingly converging on a shared set of especially challenging issues.  Society is learning to join in the conversations. Accordingly, the proposed volume is envisioned as addressing the following areas: Economics and Power; Democracy and Trust; Risks Large and Small; Building Bridges and Inclusion; Media and Art; Environment and Health; Justice, Security, and Defense.

    If you are interested in contributing, we would be delighted to hear from you. If you know colleagues or collaborators who might wish to participate, please feel free to share this call with them as well.

    Deadline for chapter abstracts (250–300 words): 15 January 2026
    Deadline for chapter draft submission (8000–10,000 words; US English; APA style): 31 March 2026
    Deadline for final revisions: 15 May 2026

    Edited by Tammy Mackenzie, Ashley Elizabeth Muller, and Branislav Radeljić

    For more info about the editors, please see: Fellows
    Submissions and questions: Contact Branislav Radeljić, Ph.D., Director of Research.

  • Rogers Cybersecure Cataylst Fellow 2025-2026

    Rogers Cybersecure Cataylst Fellow 2025-2026

    We are very proud  to announce Aula Fellow Jake Okechukwu Effoduh has been named a Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst Fellow for 2025-2026.

    Read more: “Fighting for justice beyond borders: Jake Okechukwu Effoduh’s journey from grassroots advocacy to cyber law.“

  • AIMS Hackathon Against Modern Slavery

    AIMS Hackathon Against Modern Slavery

    We are proud to announce that an Aula Team has joined the AIMS Hackathon 2025: AI Against Modern Slavery in Supply Chains. This is an issue that touches everyone on earth, and that everyone can take part in fixing.

    We will be examining problems in this space and, among other things, an open data set of 15,000+ annual corporate reports and Walk Free’s Global Slavery Index, for ways to identify, mitigate, and eradicate modern slavery.

    We are seeing what we can do to help. How do you see it? Want to check out the data and let us know? We’ll be sharing, returning, and building collaborations. Thank you and all honour to the Hackathon conveners, and director Adriana Eufrosina Bora:

    Fundación Pasos Libres: project link https://lnkd.in/gdsczfKc
    Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute: project link also includes links to all of the open data sets and studies done so far: https://lnkd.in/dAApAvqu
    QUT (Queensland University of Technology) (QUT): https://lnkd.in/ehG66MXs

    The business reports database on GitHub, built and hosted by The Future Society: https://lnkd.in/eUa6an9s

    There’s a world-class group of trainers. Numerous other partners are providing support, including The Future Society, Walk Free, UNESCO, the International Committee of the Red Cross – ICRC, Australian Red Cross, and governments of Australia, Canada, the UK. And many more to come.

    Get to the heart of the matter by hearing from survivors: Faith, Love, and Human Trafficking: The Story of Karola De la Cuesta. On Goodreads and available at most online retailers in EN and SP (ask your library): https://lnkd.in/eitSUk4c

    If like us you are also working on these issues, we welcome your interest in potential collaborations. Check out “How to Get Involved”.

    Infographic from Respect International: https://lnkd.in/exRb_NNA

    AIMS Hackathon

  • Tech Tool: the Survivor’s Dashboard

    Tech Tool: the Survivor’s Dashboard

    A dashboard of curated information for survivor’s of modern slavery and the people who work to rescue others. This tool is available for collaborations. Please contact our Technical Director, François Pelletier, for more information.

  • Shaping AI Justice Together: Join Canada’s First Black Consultation on Responsible AI Governance

    Shaping AI Justice Together: Join Canada’s First Black Consultation on Responsible AI Governance

    Announcement by Jake Okechukwu Effoduh: “I’m convening 40 brilliant minds at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law to ensure Canada’s new AI governance framework centers racial equity, accountability, and justice.

    Shaping AI Justice Together: Join Canada’s First Black Consultation on Responsible AI Governance

    Calling all Black and racial justice experts working at the forefront of algorithmic fairness: this is your invitation to help define Canada’s AI future.

    If you or someone you know is doing this critical work, step forward. Share widely, and be part of this historic conversation.

    Read more about this on LinkedIn

  • Democracy Dialogues Lead Boldly, Inspire Globally: Meet the 2025-2026 Obama Foundation Scholars

    Democracy Dialogues Lead Boldly, Inspire Globally: Meet the 2025-2026 Obama Foundation Scholars

    Quoting from the organizers: “In a moment that former President Barack Obama describes as a “political crisis of the sort that we haven’t seen before,” we are proud to welcome the 2025–2026 Obama Foundation Scholars to the TMU campus for a special in-person episode of our Democracy Dialogues series. With three Canadians among this year’s global cohort—Victoria Kuketz (TMU’s own), Khalid Hashi, and Michelle Cartier—this is a rare chance to meet inspiring leaders working across disciplines, borders, and systems to develop solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our times.

    Open to students, community members, and leaders from across all sectors, this event is an opportunity to engage with the Obama Scholars, and reflect on how each of us can respond to the crisis we are experiencing. Engage in meaningful discussion, connect with the next generation of global leaders, and consider the kind of world we want to build – now.

    Be part of a conversation on transforming trust into action and participation into impact.

    Learn more about the Obama Foundation Scholars here and the Democratic Engagement Exchange here.

    About Democracy Dialogues:

    Democracy Dialogues is a public conversation series hosted by the Democratic Engagement Exchange at TMU. Each episode brings together thought leaders and community voices to explore the challenges and possibilities of building a more inclusive and resilient democracy.”

    See the event recording here: https://www.torontomu.ca/arts/news-events/2025/10/democracy-dialogues-lead-boldly–inspire-globally–meet-the-2025/

  • Saptarishi Futures: An Indian Intergenerational Wayfinding Framework

    Saptarishi Futures: An Indian Intergenerational Wayfinding Framework

    An Intergenerational Future Study model contextualized within Indian mythology, folklore, and generational value systems. This fusion explores ancient cultural wisdom and modern anticipatory governance to imagine just, inclusive, and regenerative futures across generations.

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  • World AI: Women in AI

    World AI: Women in AI

    The Aula Fellowship were present, to discuss social and environmental concerns to do with the marketing of AI as a panacea. The event brings together technology companies, civil society, and decision-makers. We were able to connect with other non-profits and universities in this sector, and to build collaborations with several attendees and presenters.

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  • Community energy justice: A review of origins, convergence, and a research agenda

    Community energy justice: A review of origins, convergence, and a research agenda

    The transition to zero‑carbon sustainable energy systems is critical and must take an equity-oriented approach to avoid exacerbating societal injustices. We explore the concept of “community” and its potential as a viable and effective tool for studying, understanding, and fostering justice and equity in energy transitions. This paper outlines community energy justice as an area of scholarship emerging through convergence around three key concepts: community, energy transition, and justice. Using a narrative literature review approach, we unpack the origins of community energy justice research, rooted in two scholarship pillars of energy justice and community energy. We outline four driving forces and two key approaches leading to convergence between both areas of scholarship. Encompassing energy transition initiatives that incorporate both justice and community themes, we find that the overarching objective …

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  • Africa’s Energy Poverty in An Artificial Intelligence (AI) World: Struggle for Sustainable Development Goal 7

    Africa’s Energy Poverty in An Artificial Intelligence (AI) World: Struggle for Sustainable Development Goal 7

    Energy poverty remains a significant challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where approximately 600 million people lack proper access to electricity. This paper examines the region’s current state of energy poverty, highlighting its socio-economic impacts and the barriers to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which aims for affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030. Despite the region’s rich renewable energy potential, inadequate infrastructure, economic constraints, and governance issues continue to impede progress. This work employs a doctrinal research methodology, focusing on the critical analysis of existing legal and policy frameworks relevant to energy poverty and the integration of AI in energy management. This paper presents an overview of energy poverty in SSA, underpinned by current statistics and trends. It then examines the dual role of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it impacts this area: while AI technologies, through its data centre s, for example, significantly increase energy consumption, AI also offers innovative solutions for energy management, efficiency, and the integration of renewable energy sources. This paper critically analyzes these dynamics using Marxist and Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) frameworks to understand the broader socio-economic inequalities and global power dynamics at play. Major findings indicate that current policy frameworks are inadequate in addressing the unique challenges of energy poverty and the growing role of AI in the energy sector. The paper reviews existing policy and regulatory frameworks, identifying gaps and proposing actionable recommendations for integrating AI into policies to address energy poverty. It concludes with actionable policy recommendations to achieve a just and inclusive energy transition, contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable development and technological equity.

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  • Ceiba Law Firm Annual Retreat

    Ceiba Law Firm Annual Retreat

    We were pleased to be of service to Ceiba Law for their annual retreat this year. Our director Tammy Mackenzie joined the firm partners and associates to discuss the changes and opportunities of AI for lawyers in cybersecurity and corporate law. A huge shout out to partners Vanessa Henri, Elodie Meyer and Shawn Ford for an invigorating retreat and inspiring firm ethos. A law firm purpose built for the 21st century.

    For more information on Ceiba Law, see https://ceiba.law/

  • Explaining the Comparatively Less Robust Human Rights Impact of the ECOWAS Court on Legislative and Judicial Decision-making, Process, and Action in Nigeria

    Explaining the Comparatively Less Robust Human Rights Impact of the ECOWAS Court on Legislative and Judicial Decision-making, Process, and Action in Nigeria

    This article outlines and tackles two inter-related puzzles regarding the comparatively much less robust human rights impact that the ECOWAS Court (in effect, West Africa’s international human rights court) has had on the generally more democratic legislative/judicial branch of decision-making and action in Nigeria vis-à-vis the generally more authoritarian executive branch within Nigeria, the country that is the source of most of the cases filed before the court. The article then discusses and analyzes the examples and extent of the court’s human rights impact on legislative/judicial branch decision-making and action in that key country. This is followed by the development of a set of analytical, multi-factorial, explanations for the two inter-connected puzzles that animate the enquiry in this article. In the end, the article argues that several factors have combined to produce the comparatively much less robust human rights impact that the ECOWAS Court has had on domestic legislative and judicial decision-making, process, and action in Nigeria, through restricting the extent to which the latter could mobilize more robustly the court’s human rights-relevant processes and rulings.

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