Kent Law School intellectual property (IP) law expert Dr Hyo Yoon Kang has gathered a panel of IP specialists for an online discussion exploring the political and social role of IP law in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ‘Panel discussion on intellectual property law scholarship and pedagogy in times of COVID-19 pandemic’ was held on Thursday 1 July via Zoom. Co-hosted by Kent research group Social Critiques of Law (SoCriL), and the International Society for the History and Theory of Intellectual Property (ISHTIP).
Panelists included:
- Professor Graham Dutfield (University of Leeds)
- Dr Hyo Yoon Kang (University of Kent)
- Professor Fiona Macmillan (Birkbeck University of London)
- Dr Luke McDonagh (London School of Economics and Political Science)
- Dr Aisling McMahon (Maynooth University)
- Professor Alain Pottage (University of Kent/ SciencesPo)
- Els Torreele (UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose)
Dr Yoon Kang said: ‘It will be a much-needed discussion on the state of the field and responsibility in the present critical junction of IP law’s role in the pandemic.’
Panelists reviewed and discussed IP law scholarship and pedagogy, the divergence of perspectives on the *TRIPS Waiver for COVID-19 vaccines, and their relation to the current political economy.
Catch up now!
*The TRIPS Waiver refers to a proposal, advanced by the governments of South Africa and India, to the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual property rights protection for technologies needed to prevent, contain, or treat COVID-19 “until widespread vaccination is in place globally, and the majority of the world’s population has developed immunity.”