Invention and Regulation. 3 credits, 3 contact hours

Catalog description

Prerequisites: ENGL 102 with a grade of C or higher, and a course fulfilling the History and Humanities GER 200 level course with a grade of C or higher. This course examines how the law has affected technological development in the United States from its founding to today. We cover four broad technical categories: industrialization, transportation, communication, information technology. We analyze the invention of technology within issues of patent and copyright, funding and regulation of technology through legislation, and legal challenges to technology. Our goal is to understand change in law and technology in historical and cultural context. This course may be used to satisfy a three credit 300 level GER in History and Humanities.