Owning the Mind: Eigentum Geist
Vienna, 20.11. – 22.11.2009

In post-industrial societies, knowledge is increasingly considered as resource and treated as capital. The addition of knowledge, which is connected with human evolution has mutated into an explosion. Considering technological possibilities that seem to be nearly omni-potent many questions arise in reference to value and veracity within the floods of information. And as it is everywhere, one question sticks out: Who is in charge?

How does society handle information? Who is allowed to create knowledge, how is it recorded, how is it passed on - and above all: Who owns it? Is there such a thing as intellectual property? And if yes: Does society have the right to access the individual‘s intellectual property?

Keynote Speakers:

Norbert Bachleitner: A Record of the Records of Banned Books. (A database of Austrian book bans 1795-1848)
Nikolaus Forgó: Res facti, non iuris? Ein Versuch über die Makularisierung des Rechts in der Informationsgesellschaft
Bettina Kann: Digitale Archivierung - Webarchivierung auf der österreichischem Nationalbibliothek
Guido Kucsko: Geistiges Eigentum: Förderer oder Hemmschuh der Kreativität?

We welcome papers (lectures à 20 minutes, publication in the Società‘s yearbook) of all scientific fields dealing with the following questions:

Managing Knowledge (economic basis of research, education politics, university management et al.)
Monopolies of information transfer
Censorship
Internet & Law
Intellectual Property – Copyrights & Patents
Organisation of libraries and archives
Digital Data – storage, safety, (mis)use?

Please send short CVs and abstracts (500 words) until May 31st 2009 to Paul Ferstl at conference@societa.at