Human Rights and Intellectual Property Seminar
Human Rights, being fundamental and universal, used to belong to international law, while Intellectual Property, being instrumental and quintessentially territorial, belonged to domestic and private law. The last two decades, however, have changed all that. A rich and detailed body of Human Rights law has penetrated domestic systems, the traditional home of Intellectual Property. With the TRIPs Treaty, the Internet, and related developments, intellectual property has returned the favor, encroaching on many areas that were once the preserve of universal Human Rights. The result is a proliferation of intersections that require careful attention from lawyers, legislators, and policy-makers. This course will examine these multiple intersections between Human Rights (including domestic constitutional and civil rights correlates) and the law of Intellectual Property.
Grading and Method of Evaluation:
Letter grade with pass/fail option. A series of short papers required. Students may, for a third credit, expand one of those papers into a full-length term paper. Those who wish the paper to satisfy the Upperclass Writing Requirement will also undertake extra work, including rewrites, to develop it further into a one that satisfies the UCWR.
Grading and Method of Evaluation:
Letter grade with pass/fail option. A series of short papers required. Students may, for a third credit, expand one of those papers into a full-length term paper. Those who wish the paper to satisfy the Upperclass Writing Requirement will also undertake extra work, including rewrites, to develop it further into a one that satisfies the UCWR.