Birzeit School of Government Hosts Renowned Scholar and Expert David Lyon

Birzeit University’s School of Government at the Faculty of Law and Public Administration held its first public activity by hosting on March 3, 2015 international expert David Lyon to lecture on trends in government and business surveillance today.

Professor Lyon examined the current trends visible in today's ever-expanding surveillance networks, showing the many ways that the processing of personal data affects our life chances and choices, directly and indirectly, and suggesting some priorities for citizens wanting to challenge surveillance today. He asserted that surveillance is neither inevitable nor irreversible - it can be used for care as well as to control, to protect as well as to deny rights.

The lecture was one of a three-part public lecture series entitled "Surveillance: An ancient practice with modern means," which included two additional public lectures by Lyon on March 10 and 17 entitled “Surveillance Rights and Wrongs: Ethics, civil liberties, human dignity” and “Surveillance in Colonial Contexts: How power is maintained by managing visibility,” respectively.

This lecture series is part of the faculty’s objectives of providing public institutions with specialized skills and knowledge, imparting cutting-edge expertise in order to supply society with qualified citizens, and providing needed theoretical and technical advice.

This activity is funded by the European Union, part of the project “Developing a Master Program in Criminal Law,” implemented by An-Najah National University, Al-Quds University and Birzeit University.