Who Owns Culture?: Intellectual Property Law and the Cultural Commons

Semester and Year	FA 2012
Course Number	IDSEM-UG1587
Section	001
Instructor	Gail Drakes
Days	Wed
Time	3:30 PM - 6:10 PM
Units	4.0
Level	U
Foundation Requirement	SOC

Description

Can a yoga pose or a dance step be considered “private property?” Who owns the genetic sequences found in your DNA? What are the rights of an author/artist and how do those rights overlap with the rights of the community to engage with works of art? How can the “public domain” and the “cultural commons” survive in a free-market economy? In this course, we will deepen our understanding of the cultural and ethical implications of copyright, trademark and patent law by placing the concepts of ownership and authorship in both historical and global context. In addition to scholarly essays drawn from the fields of history, legal studies, anthropology and sociology, this course will also draw on a range of texts from the visual arts, music, and literature. Course requirements include: research-based essays and creative projects, in-class presentations, and a general willingness to both critique and create. Texts studied may include Boon's In Praise of Copying , Demer’s Steal this Music and Patry's Moral Panics and the Copyright Wars . Visual and audio sources from Girl Talk, DJ Spooky and Joy Garnett may also be included.

Course Type

Interdisciplinary Seminars (IDSEM-UG)