eDiversity: The Legal Protection of Cultural Diversity in a Digital Networked Environment

Prof. Dr. Christoph Beat Graber
i-call

The research project was an endeavour of i-call, the research centre for international communications and art law at the University of Lucerne. The project was an integral part of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) «International Trade Regulation» and was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Ecoscientia Foundation. It lasted from 1 September 2005 until
31 August 2009 (first stage of NCCR Trade).

The research project sought getting a deeper understanding of the conditions that European and international law sets for national governments in respect to the regulation of media markets in the globally networked digital environment. This new environment is the result of the rapid technological developments of the last few years where digital technology and the Internet have fundamentally transformed the way cultural content is created, disseminated, accessed, and enjoyed. These changes called upon governments to revisit existing policies in the field of cultural expression and develop new tools where necessary. Accounting for ongoing business dynamics, the project focused on the markets for television, film and new media, including online computer and video games. In addition to very new cultural expressions, the project also investigated repercussions the digital networked environment had for very old cultural expressions, i. e. cultural expressions of indigenous peoples.

Research results
The eDiversity project could deliver a great volume of valuable research output. Two scientific events (Governance of online worlds / Traditional Cultural Expressions), two major books and numerous journal articles and book chapters are the proof of vivid, innovative, transdisciplinary and high quality research activities.

Further Informations