INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN THE WTO AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: The Way Forward For Developing Countries

Book Details:

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

• Author: Peter Drahos

• Language: English

• Edition: 1st Edition

• ISBN: 9781107686946

• Pages: 261

• Cover: Paperback

• Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.0 x 0.7 inches

About the Book:

Intellectual Property, Indigenous People and their Knowledge by Peter Drahos explores the enduring impact of colonization on indigenous peoples, focusing on the extractive property rights regime that affects both their land and knowledge. This thought-provoking book examines the symbolic role that international intellectual property law continues to play in enclosing indigenous knowledge, often benefiting states while disadvantaging the indigenous communities from which this knowledge originates.

Drawing on over 200 interviews, Drahos provides a detailed analysis of how indigenous people have responded to the non-developmental property rights imposed by colonizing forces. The book features case studies that illustrate the process of regulatory bricolage—how indigenous communities have adapted to the state’s extractive systems by crafting their own strategies and regulations. Through these adaptive efforts, indigenous peoples have developed high-trust networks and partnerships with science, creating pathways for their own development and control over their knowledge.

Drahos argues for a new, developmental intellectual property order that respects indigenous rights, built on a combination of simple rules, principles, and a process of regulatory convening. This book is essential reading for those interested in intellectual property law, indigenous rights, and the intersection of cultural preservation and development, offering a roadmap for a more just and equitable future for indigenous communities.