SILE
SILENT AGENTS AFFECTED BY LEGISLATION
From an insufficient knowledge base to inclusive solutions
SILE strives to promote socially and ethically sustainable legislation that takes into account the positions, rights, and well-being of silent agents.
In this context, the term silent refers to groups who are excluded from the preparation of laws that affect them.
The research in SILE contributes to the discussion on political inequalities in the lawmaking context by focusing on those outside typical participatory structures, whose lives are significantly affected by laws serving protective, restrictive, or controlling interests. We call them silent agents.
Most of us can be regarded as silent agents in law making processes since a few of us participate in hearings and consultations. SILE is focused on the groups in society whose lives are heavily influenced by law and whose positions are sensitive to conflicting tensions: children and young people in child protection, prisoners, precarious residents, and individuals struggling with debt, substance abuse, or mental health issues. Others speak about and for these groups or they are not spoken about at all. Animals are also included in SILE as they represent a particularly silent group. A concern for animal welfare and the question of animal rights have gained a lot of attention in recent years.
Our research questions are:
HOW ARE THE POSITIONS, RIGHTS, AND WELL-BEING OF SILENT AGENTS taken into account when drafting laws: what kind of information is valued; who represents the silent agents and what kind of information is used; how do the tensions between the different interest groups manifest, and how are they resolved?
HOW DO THE FORMS OF SUPPORT AND CONTROL produced by laws affect silent agents, and through what processes do the effects take shape: do the laws have unintended adverse consequences and, if so, why?
HOW IS ALGORITHMIC KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION regulated and utilised in the implementation of laws that relate to silent agents?
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMICin relation to the preparation of emergency legislation and its effects on silent agents?
We listen to silent agents, the ministries and authorities drafting and implementing laws, and other experts and stakeholders. We also engage in dialogue with all interested parties. We create new knowledge and practices for consultation and impact assessments with our partners.
An additional goal is the development of LAWRADAR (Lakitutka): an open web application that aggregates public law drafting material in an open access repository.
Co-creation
Our partners include silent agents and their representative organisations, various public authorities, the ministries responsible for drafting laws, and academic scholars. We also welcome anyone with an interest in participating in the project. The aim is to cooperatively develop methods for improving the realisation of rights, the positions, and well-being of silent agents in the drafting of legislation. We organise workshops, Breaking the Silence events, and other joint activities. We rely on the help of all our partners to carry out effective research and make an impact.