Dr Emma Scali
Small Group Project 2022-23
Neoliberalism and Artificial Intelligence: Epistemological Connections and Socio-Legal Implications
The proposed research will represent the first attempt 1) at developing a theoretical framework (of transdisciplinary relevance) on the epistemological connections between neoliberalism and AI, and 2) at addressing the implications – especially for conceptions of the human person (and qualities generally attached to it, such as agency, autonomy, freedom, responsibility, and human rights) and of social phenomena and institutions, including the State and the law – of neoliberal/AI conceptions of and processes for knowing, and their (in some cases, automated) application to individual/collective decision-making. Such analysis may be particularly relevant to inform ongoing attempts at regulating AI for the benefit of humanity.
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Biography
Her research expertise lies in the international law of sovereign debt/financing and human rights (particularly economic and social rights). Her monograph Sovereign Debt and Socio-Economic Rights Beyond Crisis: The Neoliberalisation of International Law (Cambridge University Press, 2022) argues that the Eurozone debt crisis significantly advanced the neoliberalisation of international law, catalysing international and EU law reforms grounded in neoliberalism’s understanding of the market as a method for knowledge production and decision-making. Emma's more recent work is exploring issues of economic justice and coercion.
She is engaged in both theoretical and policy-oriented research, including collaborations with civil society organisations. From 2022 to 2025, she served as a consultant to the UN Independent Expert on Foreign Debt and Human Rights and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), contributing research on debt and human rights with a particular focus on Latin America and South-East Asia.
Biographical details correct as of 20.04.26