This course investigates the dynamic relationship between intellectual property law and user communities. Students will be exposed to interdisciplinary, sociolegal methods offering insights on user communities, as a springboard for the discussion of their role in and relevance to contemporary law-making and regulation of technology within the digital economy.

Throughout the semester, students will explore topical intellectual property issues in user communities situated within relevant international debates. This may include, for example, issues relating to remix and participatory culture; user-generated content; fan communities; gifs and memes; laws of virtual worlds; and open innovation. Whilst students will have the opportunity to engage with sociolegal methodologies and theories, no prior knowledge of this is assumed nor required.

10 x 2 hour seminars in semester 2.

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The course is assessed by an essay of 4,500 words (100%) in the form of an article that one would typically submit to a specialist law journal.

The principal aim of the course is to provide students with an understanding of the role and significance user communities within and their interaction with intellectual property. The course also aims to introduce students to sociolegal methodologies and how to apply these to evaluate intellectual property law.

Further aims are to:

■ develop the analytical and critical skills of students by examination of intellectual property issues of relevance and potential impact to user communities;

■ develop the communication skills of students;

■ instil in students an ability to constructively evaluate the positions taken in current debates, to suggest and consider possible reforms;

■ foster critical understanding and evaluation of areas of controversy within intellectual property;

■ encourage independent learning.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Identify relevant social science methodologies and theories applied in the study of intellectual property

■ Construct a coherent argument in discussion of topics arising from the application of intellectual property to user communities

■ Evaluate intellectual property rationales and doctrine from the perspective of user communities

■ Propose reforms to existing areas of intellectual property law addressing user communities' interests as well as related policy and societal concerns

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.