University of Silesia in Katowice

Łukasz Maryniak, PhD, a specialist in intellectual property law at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Silesia, analyzes the relationship between the law and intangible cultural heritage in his latest monograph, The Protection of Folklore in Intellectual Property Law (Ochrona folkloru w prawie własności intelektualnej).

The author points out that contemporary legal mechanisms can serve as an effective tool for protecting folklore against uncontrolled commercial exploitation, while simultaneously respecting creative freedom. The monograph demonstrates how folk motifs, when detached from their cultural context, lose their authentic meaning, which can lead to the infringement of the interests of communities that are the custodians of these traditions.

Based on an analysis of international and Polish law, the author proposes a modern model for the protection of folklore, taking into account both the need to preserve intangible cultural heritage and the principle of access to cultural goods. The publication represents an important voice in the debate on the future of the protection of traditional knowledge and cultural expressions.

The publication is available in the Legal Library’s collection.

Photo: Wolters Kluwer Polska