This thesis attempts to illuminate and problematize the marriage of capitalism and colonialism that results in the widespread appropriation of Indigenous expressions of culture, and in particular, totem poles. This project complicates our understanding of totem poles as they have been presented in the marketplace and restores some of the intricate legal meaning to these incredible works. First, I examine Canadian intellectual property law and colonial policies of cultural erasure like the potlatch ban. Next, I explore the use of rights discourse, or legalism, as a potential route for solutions to this issue. I then conduct case studies of three totem poles. I examine one totem pole as a commodity, one functioning as a piece of art and someone's livelihood, and one as part of a Tlingit legal tradition. This last totem, as a materially appropriated object, provides an opportunity to explore the treatment of totem poles in proper context and also functions as a suggested solution to Indigenous art appropriation more broadly. My intervention on this last totem reframes these issues in a non-Western legal cannon to attempt to address these difficult legal questions. My examination of these three totems serves to destabilize our understanding of totem poles sold in the marketplace, and to broaden our understanding of totems as manifestations of Indigenous laws. / Graduate

Récemment les droits relatifs à la protection intellectuelle ont joué un grand rôle à travers le monde. Comment est-il possible de protéger efficacement les droits de propriété intellectuelle. En tant qu’un des accords de l’OMC, l’Accord sur les aspects des droits de propriété intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce est un élément de réponse à cette question. En effet, la protection de ce dernier en termes de droit de propriété intellectuelle a atteint un niveau sans précédent. Après son entrée à l’OMC en 2001, la République Populaire de Chine a du mettre sa législation en matière de droit de la propriété intellectuelle en conformité avec l’ADPIC. En effet, l’intégration de la Chine dans l’économie mondiale ces dernières années a été accentuée par sa volonté à ouvrir son économie et à garantir certaines règles de droit quand le pays a accédé à l’OMC le 11 Décembre 2001. Les progrès de la Chine en matière de protection de la propriété intellectuelle ont été importants dans une période assez courte. Moins de vingt ans auparavant, le pays n’était pas doté d’un système de protection de la propriété intellectuelle. Aujourd’hui, la Chine possède un ensemble d’instruments juridiques modernes composé de lois et de procédures spécifiques aux aspects de propriété intellectuelle, sans aucune comparaison possible avec le reste du monde. Par conséquent, entre 1992 et 2001, beaucoup de réformes furent entreprises. La Chine a consenti à étendre son système de protection de la propriété intellectuelle à tous les domaines et d’augmenter le niveau de protection des droits de propriété intellectuelle par l'instauration de procédures d’acquisition ou de protection d’un droit de propriété intellectuelle, de mettre en place les mesures nécessaires pour contrôler les violations d’un droit de propriété intellectuelle et renforcer l’exécution et la mise en application des sanctions. Cependant, l’application de ce droit en Chine soulève certains problèmes. L’objet de cette thèse est d’illustrer les causes de l’apparition de ces problèmes en comparant l’accord ADPIC et le droit chinois de la propriété intellectuelle, et en analyser aussi les similarités et les différences entre les deux. Partant de ces différences, les imperfections de la loi chinoise seront illustrées par le différend devant l’Organe de règlement des différends de l’OMC dans le différend entre les Etats-Unis et la République Populaire de Chine quant aux mesures affectant la protection et le respect des droits de propriété intellectuelle en Chine (Règlement des différends: affaire DS 362: Chine — Mesures affectant la protection et le respect des droits de propriété intellectuelle) . Les causes des failles du système de protection de la propriété intellectuelle chinoise tiennent à son histoire, sa culture confucianiste, et sa conception du droit. Paradoxalement, le nouveau régime de propriété intellectuelle faciliterait grâce à sa transparence et à son efficacité, les transactions de produits porteurs de droits de propriété intellectuelle entre les entreprises chinoises et les entreprises étrangères. Par conséquent la capacité en matière d’innovation de la Chine s'est affirmée durant cette période de transition vers une économie qui accorderait une place plus importante à la création industrielle et à l’innovation comme Taiwan ou la République de Corée l’ont fait auparavant. En effet, l’émergence de la République populaire de Chine comme nation leader dans le domaine scientifique dynamise le droit de la propriété intellectuelle par une forte demande interne. L’objet de ce travail est donc d’établir un état des lieux de l’influence de l’ADPIC sur le droit de la propriété intellectuelle en Chine, avec d’une part, une législation nationale en matière de propriété intellectuelle conforme à l’ADPIC e d’autre part, un système d’application des droits de propriété intellectuelle en demi-teinte dans les faits / Recently, intellectual property rights protection played a major role in the world. How can this right be protected properly and people get interests from it as much as possible? This has become an issue during the last decade. Indeed, the protection of the latter in terms of intellectual property rights has reached an unprecedented level. After joining the WTO in 2001, the People's Republic of China has made its intellectual property laws compliant with the TRIPS Agreement. Indeed, the integration of China into the global economy in the last years has been accentuated by its willingness to open its economy and to respect the rule of law when the country joined the WTO on December 11 2001.The progress made by China in the area of protection of intellectual property rights were more than important in a short period. Less than twenty years ago, the country was not able to build the necessary infrastructure to protect intellectual property rights. Nowadays, China has a modern set of legal instruments composed substantive and procedural law for each specific aspect of intellectual property, with no possible comparison with the rest of the world. In fact, between 1992 and 2001, many reforms were undertaken. China has agreed to extend its system of protection of intellectual property in all areas and has increased the protection to a high level, strengthening the implementation and enforcement of its intellectual property laws. However, the enforcement of these laws in China raises some problems. The purpose of this thesis is to illustrate the causes of the occurrence of these problems by explaining the TRIPS Agreement and the Chinese law of intellectual property, and analyze the similarities and also differences between both of them. Based on these differences, the imperfections of Chinese law will be illustrated by the dispute before the Dispute Settlement Body of the WTO between the United States and the People's Republic of China on measures affecting the protection and respect for intellectual property rights in China (2007-2009). The causes of cracks in the system of protection of intellectual property have its roots in Chinese history, Confucian culture and the Chinese conception of law. The new intellectual property regime has enhanced the transparency and efficiency of transactions of products bearing intellectual property rights between Chinese enterprises and foreign enterprises, and has helped China to build its capacity for innovation in China in this period of transition to an economy that places greater emphasis on innovation as did Taiwan or the Republic of Korea before. Indeed, the emergence of China as a leading nation in science energizes the intellectual property law by a strong domestic demand for innovation and intellectual property rights. The purpose of this work is to establish an assessment of the positive impact of TRIPS on intellectual property law in China, with one hand, a national legislation on intellectual property in line with the TRIPS and on the other hand, the failure of the enforcement of intellectual property rights in practice

Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Vincent R. Amanor-Boadu / The promulgation of the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, a declining share of federal research expenditures to the university, and the enforcement of intellectual property rights have contributed to the evolution of university research missions. This thesis sought to understand how the intellectual property policies and commercialization initiatives at research universities affect their commercialization activities and intensity. The ability of universities to engage in commercialization activities is dependent on the willingness of the researchers to disclose their inventions. We used cross-sectional data from AUTM (Association of University Technology Managers) and other sources to evaluate the effect universities intellectual property policies and other factors on faculty willingness to disclose their inventions and discoveries. The research revealed that universities' commercialization efforts have been intensifying over the years and across the institution. Intellectual property policies were found to have insignificant effect on the number of disclosures. This supports earlier research that has shown many faculty members were ignorant about such policies. On the other hand, licensing revenue, which basically goes to fund future research, was a very significant factor in disclosures and hence commercialization initiatives at universities.

No description available.

Magister Legum - LLM / This study critically investigated the argument whether intellectual property rights over life forms and processes would ensure food security. It only considered the issue from the perspective of developing countries, as they are the ones who are hardest hit by recurrent drought and food insecurity. Protections within TRIPS (Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights) and debates underpinning it formed the essence of the research. / South Africa

Magister Legum - LLM / The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) ia a multilateral international treaty introduced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) that came into effect on 1 June 1995. At a basic level it attempted to establish minimum standards for the regulation of intellectual property rights within those countries that are members of the WTO and signatories to it. This thesis served a dual purpose. The first leg was to embark on an investigation into TRIPS, criticallt analyzing the provisions of the Agreement. The important aim here was to analyze and discover whether TRIPS is sensitive to weaker countries. The second leg was to probe within the the legislative framework of South Africa and determine whether South Africa as a "developing copuntry", has complied with the demands as expressed by TRIPS. This investigation was done with specific reference to South African patent law. / South Africa

Doctor Legum - LLD / The need to harmonise laws in Africa has grown in importance in view of the envisaged African common market. Economic integration cannot flourish without an effective regional legal framework. There is fragmentation in trade mark protection in Africa as evidenced by the existing two sub-regional organisations namely, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) and the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI). The absence of a single regional legal framework has resulted in African countries not having a coherent strategy for advancing their common interests in regional and multilateral negotiations. African countries have acceded to agreements which do not reflect their interests such as Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS). African countries have also been signing Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) which contain higher intellectual property protection standards than the minimum standards prescribed by TRIPS. The purpose of this study is to formulate a proposal for the integration of trade mark laws in Africa, with a view to strengthening the regional legal framework. A consolidated regional position, based on an integrated legal framework, will strengthen Africa’s participation in negotiations. This will in turn ensure greater regard for, and better protection of, Africa’s interests and concerns. Trade mark laws are important as they can hinder or promote trade. Harmonised trade mark laws will create legal and commercial certainty as well as predictability, which is crucial for the promotion of trade and foreign direct investment. The central argument advanced is that the areas of convergence in the laws under study and in the way the laws are interpreted can form the basis for the harmonisation of Africa’s trade mark laws.

Magister Pharmaceuticae - MPharm / Background: In South Africa many patented medicines are either unavailable or carry prices that most patients cannot afford. The effects of the patents systems on patient access could greatly depending on how the burden of a disease is distributed across least-developed, developing and developed countries. Method: The study based on a qualitative research method. The sample was based on a non-probability approach. The study used both primary and secondary data collection. The secondary data was critically evaluated and collected from scientific articles, company reports and internet sources, in order to obtain some better insight into the patent situation of pharmaceuticals. Interviews were conducted and analysed by selective ad open coding. Results: The South African patent system needs an examination process to evaluate patent applications. The Patent Act of 1978 meets the minimum TRIPS requirements. The South African market is unique and a small market for innovator companies therefore does not influence innovation by these companies. Conclusion: The study concluded that the key sections of the Patent Act that need further evaluation and aligning more with TRIPS flexibilities are: Compulsory License, “Evergreening”. Data Protection and Establishing an examination system. The study also concluded that the current South African Patent Act sufficiently promotes innovation within the pharmaceutical industry.

Le droit d’exposition comme la prérogative patrimoniale du droit d’auteur est l’objet de notre étude. L’exposition publique de l’œuvre est assimilée à un mode d’exploitation au sens du droit d’auteur, c’est une comme une utilité reconnue, réservée à l’auteur. Pourtant l’exercice de ce droit se caractérise par une confusion dans les pratiques contractuelles. L’objet d’art et l’œuvre de l’esprit se confondent. La primauté du droit de la propriété matérielle joue un rôle important dans la reconnaissance du droit d’exposition à une œuvre de l’esprit. Pourtant celle-ci s’incarne dans une matière afin d’être perceptible au sens. L’exposition publique de l’œuvre est le mode de communication d’une œuvre de l’esprit au sens du droit de représentation. / The right of public exhibition right like a copyright law for the artistic works is objective of our research. Public exhibition can be assimilated to a traditional mode of exploitation of artworks. This mode of exploitation of artworks can be recognised by the copyrights and reserved by artiste. But the exhibition right has been confused in the contract practice. The artistic work see like an objetct. The copyright can not be recognised for the artworks because of the material object. But the works of artistes like artistic work and they artistic expression are communicated to the public in exhibition. This is an exploitation of artistic work in the public exhibition.

The Agreement on Trade – Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights has almost universal application due to the large number of signatories from the World Trade Organization member states. 149 countries signed the TRIPS by 1994. Therefore, the TRIPS Agreement has also become a valuable tool for the protection of special intellectual property rights under the term geographical indications. GIs have current relevance in the world market to consumers who are healthy and quality conscious. The legal protection of GIs is due to their economic value to many countries where the producers are in rural areas. This is because most GIs are based on traditional methods of production which have earned goodwill. The TRIPS came in to prevent fee riding of such rights by producers who do not conform to the standards and rules of production. The TRIPS Agreement requires member states to harmonise their legal systems to provide legal means of protecting GIs to the standard stipulated therein. Malawi joined the WTO on 31 May 1995 which means that the obligation above mentioned is applicable from then on. Therefore, this study is an investigation of whether Malawi has complied with the obligations in article 1.1 of the TRIPS especially in so far as geographical indications rights are concerned. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted