Lawrence University Lecture Examines Intellectual Property Enforcement in China

APPLETON, WIS. -- Washington University political scientist Andrew Mertha will discuss China's international reputation as a producer and consumer of vast amounts of pirated and counterfeit products and lax intellectual property enforcement in an address at Lawrence University.

Mertha presents "Piracy, Politics and Parallel Systems" Wednesday, April 24 at 1:30 p.m. in Youngchild Hall, Room 121. The event is free and open to the public.

Enforcement of China's policies governing intellectual property -- patents, copyrights, trademarks and industrial designs, among others -- is largely considered a black hole by many in the international community. Mertha will argue the view of China as "the knock-off capital of the world" is both simplistic and inaccurate.

Based on 14 months of field research in China involving more than 180 interviews he conducted with national and local officials, business leaders, lawyers, judges, private investigators and even some of the pirates themselves, Mertha will map out China's administrative apparatus for managing and enforcing intellectual property.

Mertha joined the Washington University faculty in 2001 as assistant professor of political science and international and area studies. He was named a Fellow in Washington University's Center in Political Economy last October. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science and his Ph.D. in international relations and comparative politics (China and East Asia) at the University of Michigan.

Mertha's appearance is sponsored by the Luce Foundation and the Lawrence department of government.