Technocracy and the Law: Accountability, Governance and Expertise

This book examines whether and how experts involved in policymaking can and should be held accountable. It combines theoretical analysis with case studies in three high-profile areas of technocratic governance, offering new perspectives on accountability and suggesting new avenues for rethinking expert accountability within multilevel governance.

Format: Hardback
Length: 324 pages
Publication date: 28 May 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The relationship between technocratic law and governance is facing increasing scrutiny and criticism from a range of sources. Not only populist movements, but also NGOs, public intellectuals, and some academics have expressed concerns about the close association between experts and power. While the extent to which experts have gained power may be subject to debate, it is unlikely and arguably undesirable that their influence will diminish significantly in contemporary regulatory regimes.

This book aims to explore the question of whether and how experts involved in policymaking can and should be held accountable. It is structured into four parts, combining theoretical analysis with a diverse range of case studies that shed light on the challenges of holding experts accountable in a multilevel setting.

Part I offers innovative perspectives on expert accountability, including a critical comparison between accountability and a virtue-ethical framework for experts, a reconceptualization of accountability through the lens of the rule of law, and a discussion of different approaches to operationalizing expert accountability.

Parts I to IV, organized around in-depth case studies, delve into the accountability of experts in three high-profile areas of technocratic governance: economic and financial governance, environmental/health and safety governance, and the governance of digitization and data protection. These case studies provide valuable insights into the manifold aspects of technocratic decision-making and offer potential avenues for rethinking expert accountability within multilevel governance.

This book is of immense value to students and scholars in international and EU law, political science, public administration, science and technology studies, as well as professionals working within EU institutions and international organizations. It provides fresh insights into the complex dynamics of technocratic decision-making and offers practical recommendations for improving the accountability of experts in governance.

Weight: 656g
Dimension: 162 x 241 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367898571