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Special Event: Celebrating Yochai Benkler

Please join us on Tuesday evening for a short talk by Yochai Benkler, and then a celebration in his honor. Prof. Benkler has recently published his book, The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom, through the Yale University Press.

Prof. Benkler’s research at Yale Law School focuses on the effects of laws that regulate information production and exchange on the distribution of control over information flows, knowledge, and culture in the digital environment. His particular focus has been the neglected role of commons-based approaches toward management of resources in the digitally networked environment, the increasing importance of nonmarket production in general and collaborative peer production in particular, and the significance of these phenomena in both economic and political terms. The Wealth of Networks is a comprehensive social theory of the Internet and the networked information economy. In it, Benkler describes how patterns of information, knowledge, and cultural production are changing—and shows that the way information and knowledge are made available can either limit or enlarge the ways people can create and express themselves.

More information on the book (and ordering information) is available here, and you may download it (and much more) on his wiki.

Prof. Benkler will give a short talk about his new book on Tuesday, April 18 at 5:45 pm in Hauser Hall 102, Harvard Law School. Afterwards, please join us for a celebration at the Berkman Center. For directions and maps, click here.