Patent Racism

Abstract

This case discusses situations when innovation, and, more specifically, patents, may be limited. This case is focused around a National Public Radio Planet Money podcast in which the journalists do a deep dive into an economics paper that discusses how innovation can decrease when inventors feel unsafe or threatened. This discussion takes place through the lens of the African American community in the United States, showing that periods of violence towards African Americans correlated with fewer patents submitted by African Americans. This case may be discussed from a variety of angles including economic history, U.S. history, as well as research methodology.

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