Academic courses

Academic course

Free Culture Society - Sociological Problems of Free/Open Source Software and Creative Commons Movements

How are digital technologies transforming our ideas about ownership, collaboration, and creativity? This course explores the new ideologies, social movements, and ethical frameworks emerging in our knowledge-based society. We will examine how the dynamic development of technology and media is challenging traditional notions of intellectual property and fostering new forms of social cooperation and knowledge sharing.

Institution University of Wroclaw
Term 2007/2008; 2010/2011; 2011/2012
Language English

We'll analyze the manifesto of Lawrence Lessig and unpack fundamental concepts like proprietary software, open source, copyright, and copyleft. We'll explore the philosophical and social contexts of intellectual property, and you'll gain a deep understanding of free licenses, from GNU GPL to Creative Commons. We'll also examine the hacker ethic as a new model for work, analyze the "commons" movement, and study the new forms of cooperation seen in commons-based peer production.

In this course, you will learn to:

  • Critically analyze the social and ethical problems of intellectual property in a digital age.
  • Master key concepts such as "free culture," open source, and various forms of open licensing.
  • Examine the historical and social development of the free software and commons movements.
  • - Evaluate the impact of new forms of social production on creativity, civil society, and collaboration.

This course is essential for anyone seeking to understand the foundational shifts in how we create, share, and collaborate. It is ideal for students in sociology, media studies, management, communication, law, and computer science programs interested in the social implications of technology and the future of intellectual property.