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Coloniality in Intellectual Property Rights Legitimations: A Critical Discourse Analysis of The Pharmaceutical Industry’s Legitimation of Intellectual Property Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Honkaniemi, Sanna Sofia LU (2022) SIMZ31 20221
Graduate School
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a global debate on intellectual property rights involving various actors including nation states, civil society, and business. In October 2020, South Africa and India proposed that certain intellectual property rights on COVID-19 health products should be temporarily waivered for the remainder of the pandemic invoking strong opposition from the pharmaceutical industry. This thesis conducts a critical discourse analysis to identify how, when faced with critique, the pharmaceutical industry seeks to legitimate the use of intellectual property rights on their health products during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they seek to delegitimate South Africa and India’s proposal. The empirical data consists of public... (More)
The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a global debate on intellectual property rights involving various actors including nation states, civil society, and business. In October 2020, South Africa and India proposed that certain intellectual property rights on COVID-19 health products should be temporarily waivered for the remainder of the pandemic invoking strong opposition from the pharmaceutical industry. This thesis conducts a critical discourse analysis to identify how, when faced with critique, the pharmaceutical industry seeks to legitimate the use of intellectual property rights on their health products during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they seek to delegitimate South Africa and India’s proposal. The empirical data consists of public statements and press releases published on the websites of various pharmaceutical corporations and their industry associations as well as of letters addressed to United States Government officials from pharmaceutical corporations and their industry associations. With the help of Van Leeuwen’s legitimation model, legitimation strategies were identified in the documents and through a decolonial approach, the thesis uncovers how coloniality is evident in the legitimations utilised by the pharmaceutical industry. In doing this, the study illustrates how colonial discourses are necessary for the perpetuation of certain relations of power that have their roots in colonialism. (Less)
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author
Honkaniemi, Sanna Sofia LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMZ31 20221
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Critical Discourse Analysis, Pharmaceutical Industry, Intellectual Property Rights, Legitimation, Coloniality
language
English
id
9099435
date added to LUP
2022-09-20 08:50:20
date last changed
2022-09-20 08:50:20
@misc{9099435,
  abstract     = {{The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a global debate on intellectual property rights involving various actors including nation states, civil society, and business. In October 2020, South Africa and India proposed that certain intellectual property rights on COVID-19 health products should be temporarily waivered for the remainder of the pandemic invoking strong opposition from the pharmaceutical industry. This thesis conducts a critical discourse analysis to identify how, when faced with critique, the pharmaceutical industry seeks to legitimate the use of intellectual property rights on their health products during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they seek to delegitimate South Africa and India’s proposal. The empirical data consists of public statements and press releases published on the websites of various pharmaceutical corporations and their industry associations as well as of letters addressed to United States Government officials from pharmaceutical corporations and their industry associations. With the help of Van Leeuwen’s legitimation model, legitimation strategies were identified in the documents and through a decolonial approach, the thesis uncovers how coloniality is evident in the legitimations utilised by the pharmaceutical industry. In doing this, the study illustrates how colonial discourses are necessary for the perpetuation of certain relations of power that have their roots in colonialism.}},
  author       = {{Honkaniemi, Sanna Sofia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Coloniality in Intellectual Property Rights Legitimations: A Critical Discourse Analysis of The Pharmaceutical Industry’s Legitimation of Intellectual Property Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}