The Cambridge Handbook of Intellectual Property and Social Justice

Steven D. Jamar · Lateef Mtima

Jan 2024 · Cambridge University Press

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Protection for intellectual property has never been absolute; it has always been limited in the public interest. The benefits of intellectual property protection are meant to flow to everyone, not just a limited population of creators and the corporations that represent them. Given this social-utility function, intellectual property regimes must address issues of access, inclusion, and empowerment for marginalized and excluded groups. This handbook defines an approach to considering social justice in intellectual property law and regulation. Top scholars in the field offer surveys of social justice implementation in patents, copyright, trademarks, trade secrets, rights of publicity, and other major IP areas. Chapters define Intellectual Property Social Justice theory and include recommendations for reforming aspects of IP law and administration to further social justice by providing better access, more inclusion, and greater empowerment to marginalized groups.

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Steven D. Jamar is a Professor Emeritus at Howard University School of Law and the Associate Director of the Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice, (IIPSJ), an NGO dedicated to advancing equitable access, inclusion, and empowerment in IP-related matters for traditionally marginalized and excluded people.

Lateef Mtima is a Professor of Law at the Howard University School of Law and the Founder and Director of the Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice. He has testified before Congress in support of IIPSJ's advocacy for socially just access, inclusion, and empowerment throughout the IP ecosystem.