A2K Academy Launch
Immediately following the last panel, speakers from academic institutions in five countries announced an exciting new partnership in research, scholarship, and curriculum design for A2K. [slides]
At right, the A2K Academy’s first book launch. The cover image features Sherezade, an installation by Brazilian artist Hilal Sami Hilal at the Palacio das Artes in 2007, captured by Brazilian photographer Elmo Alves.
Andrew Rens
This movement has exhibited the basic concern with access to knowledge in a society with knowledge at its center. That must continue. We must invest in our future.
A2K has long relied on scholars. In the coming years, it will need, more than ever, fresh ideas and analysis. A new generation, equipped to surpass what we have done.
The Global A2K academy is a collaborative effort with teams around the world. We would like to see it grow even further.
Scholars have several unique advatages. The space and critical distance to analyzeand work on issues outside the tyranny of the reactive moment. Through searching analysis and empirical investigation, we are often able to act as honest brokers. We are able to work toward a clear positive vision for the future.
As A2K becomes more prevalent, the academy will be increasingly important, for example to respond to criticisms. In my own past, I saw this same pattern demonstrating the importance of scholars in the anti-apartheid movement.
I would like to suggest, therefore, that the launch of the A2K Global Academy is a critical milestone.
Lea Bishop
Launch of Access to Knowledge in Brazil!
With sponsorship from the Ford Foundation, the Information Society Project has embarked on a new series of access to knowledge research, in partnership with colleagues in Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Russia and South Africa.
The first book in this series, Access to Knowledge in Brazil, focuses on current issues in intellectual property, innovation and development policy from a Brazilian perspective. Each chapter is authored by scholars from the Fundação Getulio Vargas law schools in São Paolo and Rio de Janeiro and examines a policy area that significantly impacts access to knowledge in the country. These include: exceptions and limitations to copyright, free software and open business models, patent reform and access to medicines, and open innovation in the biotechnology sector.
Contributors: Jack Balkin, Lea Shaver, Pedro Nicoletti Mizukami, Ronaldo Lemos, Brunos Magrani, Carlos Affonso Pereira de Souza, Alessandro Octaviani, Monica Steffen Guise Rosina, Daniel Wang, Gabriela Costa Chaves, José Antonio Batista de Moura Ziebarth, Karina Grou, Renata Reis, Thana Campos.
Download available here.
Alessandro Octaviani
We put out this book because we want to intervene in concrete issues. I am going form here to a discussion of Brazil’s national biotech policy, with two papers published as part of this volume front and center.
Joaquim Falcao
Joaqim: I have put up on the screen, one of the most important representations of scholarship, a painting of Plato and Aristotle. Plato Points up, but Aristotle points down. Plato points up because he is deductive, reasoning upwards, thinking globally. Aristotle is inductive, reasononing downwards, thinking locally. Plato is reflection. Aristotle is action. Plato is the future. Aristotle is the present. Plato says beware IPR. Aristotle says don’t be constrained by IPR.
This is how we think about IPR at FGV Brazil. We are very glad to be part of this group.
Jack Balkin
As we end the second day of the conference, let me tell you that this book is just the beginning. It is soon to be followed by a volume on A2K in Egypt and A2K in China. Look for something at IGF.
I am a constitutional lawyer as well as a scholar of A2K. With that hat, I study social movements for constitutional change. Successufl social movements have both a “short game” and a “long game.” They are able to deal with the problems immediately before them. And they are able to articulate a larger vision and a long term strategy.
We are involed in a long war of ideas, as well as politics and economics. We need academics.
