The Euro-Latin American Judicial Dialogue on the Issue of Amnesty Laws: an Example of Cross-Fertilization between Human Rights Courts

El proceso de cross-fertilization entre tribunales de derechos humanos se ha convertido en una pieza fundamental en torno a la cual se sustenta la unidad del sistema universal de protección. Dicho proceso se ha hecho especialmente evidente en las relaciones entre el TEDH y la Corte IDH, en dónde en los últimos tiempos se observa una creciente interacción e influencia recíproca entre ambos tribunales en diversos ámbitos temáticos, entre los que destaca en particular el relacionado con las leyes de amnistía. En este sentido, el objeto del trabajo es analizar el proceso de cross- fertilization jurisprudencial entre estos dos tribunales en relación con dicha temática, mostrando cómo en este caso concreto ha sido la jurisprudencia interamericana la que ha ejercido una influencia notable sobre la actual configuración del case law europeo en esta materia.The process of “cross-fertilization” among human rights courts has become a fundamental element around which the unity of the universal system of protection of human rights is based. This process has become especially evident in the relations between the ECtHR and the ICHR, considering that in recent times there has been increasing interaction and reciprocal influence between these two courts in various thematic areas. Among these areas, the one related to amnesty laws stands out. In this sense, the purpose of the paper is to analyze the cross-fertilization jurisprudential process between these two human rights courts in relation to this topic, showing how in this case it has been inter-American jurisprudence that has exerted a remarkable influence on the current configuration of the European case law in this matter

The Euro-Latin American Judicial Dialogue on the Issue of Amnesty Laws: an Example of Cross-Fertilization between Human Rights Courts

El proceso de cross-fertilization entre tribunales de derechos humanos se ha convertido en una pieza fundamental en torno a la cual se sustenta la unidad del sistema universal de protección. Dicho proceso se ha hecho especialmente evidente en las relaciones entre el TEDH y la Corte IDH, en dónde en los últimos tiempos se observa una creciente interacción e influencia recíproca entre ambos tribunales en diversos ámbitos temáticos, entre los que destaca en particular el relacionado con las leyes de amnistía. En este sentido, el objeto del trabajo es analizar el proceso de cross- fertilization jurisprudencial entre estos dos tribunales en relación con dicha temática, mostrando cómo en este caso concreto ha sido la jurisprudencia interamericana la que ha ejercido una influencia notable sobre la actual configuración del case law europeo en esta materia.The process of “cross-fertilization” among human rights courts has become a fundamental element around which the unity of the universal system of protection of human rights is based. This process has become especially evident in the relations between the ECtHR and the ICHR, considering that in recent times there has been increasing interaction and reciprocal influence between these two courts in various thematic areas. Among these areas, the one related to amnesty laws stands out. In this sense, the purpose of the paper is to analyze the cross-fertilization jurisprudential process between these two human rights courts in relation to this topic, showing how in this case it has been inter-American jurisprudence that has exerted a remarkable influence on the current configuration of the European case law in this matter

Visual Representation of Explainable Artificial Intelligence Methods: Design and Empirical Studies

Explainability is increasingly considered a critical component of artificial intelligence (AI) systems, especially in high-stake domains where AI systems’ decisions can significantly impact individuals. As a result, there has been a surge of interest in explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) to increase the transparency of AI systems by explaining their decisions to end-users. In particular, extensive research has focused on developing “local model-agnostic” explainable methods that generate explanations of individual predictions for any predictive model. While these explanations can support end-users in the use of AI systems through increased transparency, three significant challenges have hindered their design, implementation, and large-scale adoption in real applications. First, there is a lack of understanding of how end-users evaluate explanations. There are many critiques that explanations are based on researchers’ intuition instead of end-users’ needs. Furthermore, there is insufficient evidence on whether end-users understand these explanations or trust XAI systems. Second, it is unclear which effect explanations have on trust when they disclose different biases on AI systems’ decisions. Prior research investigating biased decisions has found conflicting evidence on explanations’ effects. Explanations can either increase trust through perceived transparency or decrease trust as end-users perceive the system as biased. Moreover, it is unclear how contingency factors influence these opposing effects. Third, most XAI methods deliver static explanations that offer end-users limited information, resulting in an insufficient understanding of how AI systems make decisions and, in turn, lower trust. Furthermore, research has found that end-users perceive static explanations as not transparent enough, as these do not allow them to investigate the factors that influence a given decision. This dissertation addresses these challenges across three studies by focusing on the overarching research question of how to design visual representations of local model-agnostic XAI methods to increase end-users’ understanding and trust. The first challenge is addressed through an iterative design process that refines the representations of explanations from four well-established model-agnostic XAI methods and a subsequent evaluation with end-users using eye-tracking technology and interviews. Afterward, a research study that takes a psychological contract violation (PCV) theory and social identity theory perspective to investigate the contingency factors of the opposing effects of explanations on end-users’ trust addresses the second challenge. Specifically, this study investigates how end-users evaluate explanations of a gender-biased AI system while controlling for their awareness of gender discrimination in society. Finally, the third challenge is addressed through a design science research project to design an interactive XAI system for end-users to increase their understanding and trust. This dissertation makes several contributions to the ongoing research on improving the transparency of AI systems by explicitly emphasizing the end-user perspective on XAI. First, it contributes to practice by providing insights that help to improve the design of explanations of AI systems’ decisions. Additionally, this dissertation provides significant theoretical contributions by contextualizing the PCV theory to gender-biased XAI systems and the contingency factors that determine whether end-users experience a PCV. Moreover, it provides insights into how end-users cognitively evaluate explanations and extends the current understanding of the impact of explanations on trust. Finally, this dissertation contributes to the design knowledge of XAI systems by proposing guidelines for designing interactive XAI systems that give end-users more control over the information they receive to help them better understand how AI systems make decisions

How can circularity indicators in public procurement lead to smarter, more informed decisions? The case of Bodø Municipality

Masteroppgave i Global ledelse (tidl. energiledelse) - Nord universitet 202

A new formulation to assess the seismic demand of masonry structures by means of input energy

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the elastic input energy of unreinforced masonry structures by means of the input energy spectrum. The energy is a novel approach which allows evaluating in a global and easily way the performance of the masonry structures. Structures modeled with non frame elements require of a great number of 2D or 3D elements, thereby making the calculation of the input energy a complicated issue. In this context, a new formulation that calculates the input energy using an input energy spectrum and the balance of energy is proposed. Two examples of application of unreinforced masonry structures were considered to evaluate the input energy and compare it with the proposed formula. The formula proposed shows interesting results that allowed identify the key features of the accelerograms that influence the input energy into structures

Designing Interactive Explainable AI Systems for Lay Users

Explainability considered a critical component of trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) systems, has been proposed to address AI systems’ lack of transparency by revealing the reasons behind their decisions to lay users. However, most explainability methods developed so far provide static explanations that limit the information conveyed to lay users resulting in an insufficient understanding of how AI systems make decisions. To address this challenge and support the efforts to improve the transparency of AI systems, we conducted a design science research project to design an interactive explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) system to help lay users understand AI systems’ decisions. We relied on existing knowledge in the XAI literature to propose design principles and instantiate them in an initial prototype. We then conducted an evaluation of the prototype and interviews with lay users. Our research contributes design knowledge for interactive XAI systems and provides practical guidelines for practitioners

Trabajo Social y participación en la diversidad: contexto, ejercicio y actitud

We are used to working with excluded populations. Excluded from the decision making process, in a structural way. Therefore, as part of the profesional collective, some of us have been critical of the social processes in which political discourses did not correlate to the reality of the individuals who they were aimed at; the historical delegations and representations of power in the hands of some people only. Hence, it is a process of profesional formation and exercise linked to particular contexts. What I state very insistently is the necessity of visualizing ourselves as relevant actors of this political and ethical stage which we are on.Estamos muy acostumbrados a trabajar con poblaciones excluidas. Excluidas de los procesos de tomas de decisiones, de forma estructural. Por lo tanto, como parte del colectivo profesional algunos hemos sido críticos de los procesos sociales en los que los discursos políticos no se correspondían con la realidad de los actores a los que estaba destinado. Las históricas delegaciones y representaciones del poder en manos de pocxs.Por ello, a la vez que un proceso de formación y ejercicio profesional vinculado a contextos particulares, lo que planteo con cierta insistencia es la necesidad de visualizarnos como actores relevantes en las escenas ético – políticas que nos atraviesan y atravesamos

Virtual reality models for the structural assessment of architectural heritage buildings

Peer ReviewedPreprin