Dr. Maureen O. Mapp is an Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham Law School where she teaches Cyberlaw. Maureen’s research focuses on identifying and investigating cross cultural norm creation at the intersection of law, technology and pluriversal justice. Maureen’s research projects investigate norm creation in law for the digitised world looking at the socio-legitimacy of the law when applied to digital assets and AI used in ‘fringe’ societies.

 

In this regard, Maureen has provided technical expertise to the Commonwealth Secretariat on the adoption of cryptocurrencies and works in collaboration with the African Centre for Cyberlaw and Cybercrime Prevention and United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders to research legal regulation of digital technologies.

Activities:

 

2023– convened a sandpit event in Kampala to plan for a conference on indigenous approaches to the regulation of digital assets and Artificial Intelligence in Africa.

 

2023– presented paper on ‘Private crypto asset regulation in Africa –a kaleidoscope of legislative and policy problems’ at the BILETA conference (Amsterdam)

 

2020 – authored blog on ‘Contract tracing and data injustice and judicial oversight’ published by the Institute for African Women in Law- https://www.africanwomeninlaw.com/post/contact-tracing-data-in-justice-and-judicial-oversight-in-uganda

 

2019 – talk on ‘Unblocking the Blockchain’ invitation by Harrison Clark Rickerbys law firm

2019– co- hosted the second policy makers workshop on multi-sectoral policy approaches to regulating disruptive technologies in East Africa. Outcome was a Fintech policy presented to the Minister for Finance in Uganda under the auspices of a Working Group on digital assets.

 

2018- co-hosted the first policy makers workshop on Cryptocurrency and the Blockchain Regulation https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/law/events/2018/uganda and set up a Working Group on digital assets to work on a policy brief.

 

2017– convened a round table discussion on the regulation of cryptocurrencies and the blockchain. The outcome was a UN sponsored Declaration on Fundamental Principles on the Regulation of Cryptocurrencies and the Blockchain (Digital Ledger Technologies) in Uganda (2017).

 

2016– convened the first ever round table discussion in Africa on the socio-cultural implications of regulating cryptocurrencies. The outcome is a report.

 

2015– provided technical expertise to the Commonwealth Secretariat Working Group on Virtual Currencies. Report is published in the Commonwealth Law Bulletin (2016) 42 (2) 263-324,320.

2013-14: facilitated sessions in Tanzania and Ghana on enforcement of cybercrime legislation in Africa under the auspices of the African Centre for Cyberlaw and Cybercrime Prevention and the Council of Europe.