The course is intended to deal with these issues from a number of different perspectives, specifically considering cultural, political, legal, but also economical aspects, including those relevant outside a Western context. It will provide an overview of the legal situation in a national, European, and international setting. Participants will gain an understanding of the various forms of IP (copyright, patent, trademark, etc.) and expanding or antagonistic concepts including the creative commons, open access, open source, and piracy. 

The course is based on reading and writing; there are no live sessions. In three week-long asynchronous online group discussions and a final essay, participants get the opportunity to discuss social problems and cultural aspects related to IP. The mandatory reading list could be subject to minor changes up to a month before the course starts.