The WTO, Intellectual Property Rights and the Knowledge Economy (Critical Perspectives on the Global Trading System and the WTO series, 1)

This comprehensive collection brings together major articles written by leading economists, political scientists and legal scholars to analyze the complexities of the modern global system of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and its relationship with the WTO. The papers selected consider the role of IPRs in the knowledge economy, itself a force for rapid globalization. They first place IPRs into context as a trade issue and their controversial role within the WTO. Several articles analyze the ability of IPRs to encourage innovation and support markets, emphasizing controversial problems in developing countries: special attention is given to the role of patents in biodiversity and essential medicines. Additional contributions provide important theoretical and empirical perspectives on the economics of IPRs in the global economy, including effects on trade, investment, innovation, growth, and technology policies. This authoritative volume will be an important source of reference for scholars and policymakers seeking to understand the development and trade impacts of intellectual property protection.