Digital and other important communication technologies; how copyright in the United States developed and has evolved; and copyright seen from a number of disciplinary points of view, such as legal studies, cultural history, and public policy. Other subjects may include the cultural commons; natural rights arguments for copyright versus social bargain and statutory arguments; identifying and protecting the public interest in information; the law of copyright and cultural categories such as the author, the work, intellectual property, and creation; and important federal court cases. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Information Studies 390C and 390N (Topic: Copyright: Legal and Cultural Perspectives) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.