Intellectual Property: Advanced Copyright

Copyright law is the primary legal regime governing human creativity, and it plays some role in nearly all creative industries today. Consequently, copyright law has far-reaching economic and cultural implications. In this seminar, we will consider the interests of some of the different groups affected by the copyright regime, including creators, technologists, audiences, institutions, and heirs. Course readings will cover copyright case law and scholarship; research on creative practices and relevant business models; the role of copyright law in innovation policy; and legal versus extralegal modes of protecting the fruits of creative labor. Throughout, we will assess the fairness, efficacy, and alignment of copyright protection and remedies available, to whom, when, and for what reasons. The course aims to deepen students' knowledge of copyright law and scholarship; to equip students to develop principled policy arguments about the scope of copyright protection; and to enable students to evaluate reforms and alternatives to copyright in light of how these might serve different entities in the copyright ecosystem. After the term begins, students accepted into the course can transfer from section 01 (written assignments) into section 02 (research paper), which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructor. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation; Written Assignments or Research Paper.