Cogent Social Sciences

Intellectual Property Laws: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

This Article Collection invites interdisciplinary scholarship on Intellectual Property (IP) laws, exploring their profound influence beyond traditional legal confines. Once confined to economic and legal factors, IP has become a central pillar in global debates on innovation, access to knowledge, cultural production, and social justice. This collection moves beyond doctrinal analysis, seeking contributions from sociology, political science, economics, anthropology, science and technology studies, and media studies. We aim to examine how IP systems interact with social norms, market structures, and global governance regimes. The focus is on understanding the real-world implications of IP laws, including their impact on creativity, inequality, public health, digital rights, and sustainable development.

Understanding IP's societal role is increasingly urgent. As IP law governs everything from AI-generated content to access to essential medicines, its effects permeate modern life. However, the design and impact of IP frameworks are often studied in silos. An interdisciplinary approach is vital to address the complex challenges of our time, such as balancing innovation with equitable access, protecting traditional knowledge, and regulating digital platforms. By bringing together diverse perspectives, this collection will generate holistic insights, challenge established assumptions, and inform more effective, equitable, and socially responsible IP policies, bridging the gap between legal theory and societal outcomes.

This Collection welcomes submissions that address, but are not limited to:

• The political economy of IP and its effects on global inequality.
• The intersection of IP with human rights, public health, and access to knowledge.
• Socio-legal studies of copyright, patents, and trademarks in the digital age.
• IP and its role in cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and indigenous rights.
• The impact of IP on scientific research, collaboration, and open science.
• Interdisciplinary critiques of emerging IP regimes (e.g., for AI, big data, and biotechnology).
• Comparative and empirical studies on the effectiveness of IP enforcement.

The collection seeks original research articles, review papers, and theoretical contributions that align with the journal's scope.

When submitting to this Collection, please select the Law, Criminology and Criminal Justice section, and select the name of the Collection from the dropdown menu when prompted. 

The Guest Advisor does not have any conflicts of interest to disclose.

For more information about this Article Collection, please contact the Commissioning Editor, Dr. Molly Cole, at [email protected].