Marianna Bicskei

Dissertation Topic
Identity and the Protection of Cultural Goods - an Economic Approach

Brief Description
Culture is one of the most important storages for intellectual property, for example, in form of traditional knowledge. However, the protection of cultural property differs in some respects from the general protection of intellectual property. While the protection of intellectual property is covered by, for example, patents or copyright, many activities such as rituals, indigenous knowledge are not protected because they lack novelty or authorship, and they remain within the public domain.

The protection of cultural property can be justified economically, if the overall utility from protecting is higher than it is without protection. The central acceptance is based on the concept of identity, that cultural goods and the preservation of cultural diversity provide elements of identity. Then, cultural property affects the cultural identity of a person. Within the scope of the dissertation will be analyzed the notion of cultural identity as the cornerstone of cultural property and the respective demand for protection of cultural property. The aim of the thesis is asking whether cultural property should be protected by additional measures.

Period of Dissertation
2014