Encountering rivers and robots as legal subjects in four acts:  Law / Critical Theory / Speculative Fiction

Olga Goriunova; Katja de Vries; Niels van Dijk; Yaffa Epstein

Encountering rivers and robots as legal subjects in four acts: Law / Critical Theory / Speculative Fiction

Olga Goriunova
, Katja de Vries
, Niels van Dijk
, Yaffa Epstein

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

259 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This chapter is a scholarly play in four acts. The play is based on a series of discussions between three legal researchers (Van Dijk, Epstein and De Vries) and a cultural theorist (Goriunova), which focus on the notions of the subject, person, legal personhood and subjectivity in relation to newer developments in both law (cases which granted legal personhood to rivers and valleys and debates concerning personhood of artificial intelligence) and critical theory (posthumanities and the critique of the subject). Here, personified Law and Critical Theory argue, try to work together, watch fictional courtroom footage and formulate problems, exploring the limits of their discourses and fields of action.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Posthuman Convergencies
Subtitle of host publication	Transdisciplinary Methods and Practices
Editors	Goda Klumbyte, Emily Jones, Rosi Braidotti
Publisher	Edinburgh University Press
Chapter	7
Pages	160-184
Number of pages	24
ISBN (Electronic)	978-1-3995 1269 5
ISBN (Print)	978-1-3995 1266 4
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2025

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Rivers and robots as legal subjects 4 novSubmitted manuscript, 179 KBLicence: Not specified

Cite this

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title = "Encountering rivers and robots as legal subjects in four acts: Law / Critical Theory / Speculative Fiction",

abstract = "This chapter is a scholarly play in four acts. The play is based on a series of discussions between three legal researchers (Van Dijk, Epstein and De Vries) and a cultural theorist (Goriunova), which focus on the notions of the subject, person, legal personhood and subjectivity in relation to newer developments in both law (cases which granted legal personhood to rivers and valleys and debates concerning personhood of artificial intelligence) and critical theory (posthumanities and the critique of the subject). Here, personified Law and Critical Theory argue, try to work together, watch fictional courtroom footage and formulate problems, exploring the limits of their discourses and fields of action. ",

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Encountering rivers and robots as legal subjects in four acts: Law / Critical Theory / Speculative Fiction. / Goriunova, Olga; Katja de Vries; Niels van Dijk et al.
Posthuman Convergencies: Transdisciplinary Methods and Practices. ed. / Goda Klumbyte; Emily Jones; Rosi Braidotti. Edinburgh University Press, 2025. p. 160-184.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

TY - CHAP

T1 - Encountering rivers and robots as legal subjects in four acts: Law / Critical Theory / Speculative Fiction

AU - Goriunova, Olga

AU - Katja de Vries

AU - Niels van Dijk

AU - Yaffa Epstein

PY - 2025/8/1

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AB - This chapter is a scholarly play in four acts. The play is based on a series of discussions between three legal researchers (Van Dijk, Epstein and De Vries) and a cultural theorist (Goriunova), which focus on the notions of the subject, person, legal personhood and subjectivity in relation to newer developments in both law (cases which granted legal personhood to rivers and valleys and debates concerning personhood of artificial intelligence) and critical theory (posthumanities and the critique of the subject). Here, personified Law and Critical Theory argue, try to work together, watch fictional courtroom footage and formulate problems, exploring the limits of their discourses and fields of action.

M3 - Chapter

SN - 978-1-3995 1266 4

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BT - Posthuman Convergencies

A2 - Klumbyte, Goda

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