Overview of IIPSJ, Inc.'s Social Justice Impact Programs
While all of IIPSJ's programs are concerned with advancing the cause of social justice, several are aimed more directly at impacting the law and people. These sorts of programs we group under the heading of Social Justice Impact programs.
Each program has its own webpage or pages (or will have one when that particular program moves from conception to realization). This page provides brief descriptions of the programs and links to those pages.
Equalizing Access to Knowledge
Two aspects of social justice are inclusion and empowerment. Through working to make information available, IIPSJ, Inc., seeks to include those on the wrong side of the digital divide and to empower people to develop and exploit intellectual property-based works. IIPSJ's work in this area has included hosting a forum, submitting position statements to governmental authorities, testifying on aspects of the issue, and engaging in research and publishing academic articles on the topic.
In today's information-based economy, economic power is often dependent upon intellectual property. Consequently, IP attorneys can and should take the lead in empowering minority and other marginalized communities to compete for and attain a stake in the 21st century economy. Stimulating an increase in ethnic diversity within the intellectual property bar is a major objective of the Summit, and is a key means to implement the empowerment strategies.
In Fall 2010, the Institute of Intellectual Property and Social Justice (IIPSJ) will conduct its first IP Empowerment Summit at the Howard University School of Law. The IP Empowerment Summit will bring together a diverse group of IP professionals, including IP lawyers from private practice, in-house counsel, and academia, to collaborate with legislators and public interest and community activists to devise strategies for community development built around artistic works and technological innovation.
IIPSJ advocates the social justice perspective in various contexts. In 2009 and 2010 IIPSJ submitted written position statements to the Federal Districtd Court in the Google Books Settlement case, to Congress on hearings held on the Google Book project, and to the Obama Administration on its creation of an IP Enforcement Strategic Plan.
IIPSJ Social Justice Research and Scholarship
IIPSJ's directors, Prof. Lateef Mtima and Prof. Steven D. Jamar have published a number of articles about the social justice aspects of IP and have been active in presentations at practice-oriented conferences, academic conferences, and in academic debates. IIPSJ also sponsors an IIPSJ Research Fellow in Resisdence at Howard University School of Law.
Two aspects of social justice are inclusion and empowerment. Through working to make information available, IIPSJ, Inc., seeks to include those on the wrong side of the digital divide and to empower people to develop and exploit intellectual property-based works. IIPSJ's work in this area has included hosting a forum, submitting position statements to governmental authorities, and testifying on aspects of the issue, and engaging in research and publishing academic articles on the topic. One effort in this regard is the IIPSJ IP and Social Justice Online Law Library which is just in the earliest stages of development.