Narratives, Frontier Technologies, and the Law (Part I)
-
Faculty of Law, Maastricht University
Netherlands -
Faculty of Law, Maastricht University Netherlands
Abstract
This introduction to the symposium Narratives, Frontier Technologies, and the Law investigates how narratives influence the governance of frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, bioprinting, and neurotechnology. The authors argue that the law does more than just respond to these innovations; it actively creates and reshapes the narratives that define their paths. They claim that lawyers act as storytellers, using the law to legitimise specific technological paths while challenging or reinforcing existing power structures. As a result, the law both reflects and creates cultural anxieties. The authors hope that this symposium helps clarify the dynamic relationship between storytelling, legal regulation, and technological progress.
This is Part I of the symposium collection.
Downloads
Author Biographies
Henrique Marcos was born in Paraíba, Brazil. He is a lecturer (docent) at Maastricht University's Faculty of Law, Department of Foundations of Law, where he teaches Introduction to Law (LLB), Legal Reasoning (LLB), Legal Philosophy (LLB), and Foundations of Global Law (LLM). He holds a double PhD degree in legal philosophy and international law from Maastricht University and the University of São Paulo, with a dissertation on consistency in international law. In 2023, he was awarded the New Voices Award by the European Journal of Legal Studies and the European University Institute for his article "Two Kinds of Systemic Consistency in International Law." In 2025, Henrique received an early-career grant from the Empirical Legal Studies (ELS) Academy of the Netherlands to conduct research on artificial intelligence and marine environmental policy.
Syamsuriatina binti Ishak is a Senior Lawyer, Futurist, and PhD researcher passionate about Creative Writing and Literature. She writes and publishes short stories in the literary and speculative genres to reflect on humanity and social constructs. She holds a Master's in Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Fiction) from the University of Tampa, Florida, and an LL.B from the University of London. She is presently undertaking doctoral research in Law & Literature jointly with the Institute for Globalisation and International Regulation (IGIR) and the Maastricht Law & Tech Lab at the Faculty of Law, Maastricht University, The Netherlands. Through her research, she aims to formulate normative guidance for using Science Fiction Literature as a tool for proactive law- and Policymaking about Frontier Technologies (artificial intelligence, robotics, connectomics, biotech, etc.). Before embarking on her research, she was a senior litigator, legal advisor, arbitrator, construction adjudicator, and mediator practising in Malaysia and various Southeast Asian jurisdictions, specialising in Commercial and Corporate Law, Intellectual Property, Construction, and advising on Licensing and Regulatory Compliance. To serve her creative side, she also undertakes work as a Writer, Translator, and Editor for various periodicals and publications and teaches Creative Writing. She is also a Member of the Advisory Boards in Law and Futurism for the international futurist think tank, the Lifeboat Foundation.
