Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/88403 
Year of Publication: 
2013
Series/Report no.: 
ZEF Working Paper Series No. 115
Publisher: 
University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF), Bonn
Abstract: 
Traditional Knowledge (TK) systems have always been integral to the survival and adaptation of human societies. Yet, they enjoy a fairly recent recognition and popularization by scientists, the media, politicians, corporates and the wider public. In this paper we present a typology of key driving forces behind the popularization of TK held by marginal communities: an equality preference motive, a value motive, a compliance motive, a scarcity motive and a strategic motive. Secondly, through the use of a simple model, we discuss the hype's impact on marginal communities. Moreover, we critically assess the outcome of a number of policy instruments that intend, in part, to protect traditional knowledge bases of such communities. Our analysis primarily draws upon secondary literature; policy documents and case studies within economics, the social sciences, conservation biology and legal studies. We argue that whilst the public and institutional hype around TK may have resulted in its prioritization within international conventions and frameworks, its institutionalization may have adversely impacted marginalized communities, and in particular contexts, unintentionally led to the creation of 'new' marginals. We purport that the traditional innovation incentive motive does not hold for protecting TK within a private property regime. Instead we identify a conservation incentive motive and a distribution motive that justify deriving policy instruments that focus on TK to protect marginal communities.
Subjects: 
traditional knowledge
marginality
common property regime
social welfare
community participation
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
851.71 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.