Debora Halbert

Background

I became interested in political science as an undergraduate because I was on the debate team and virtually all the topics we debated had important political implications. I was initially drawn to political theory but over time my interests focused primarily on the politics of copyright and intellectual property, as well as a broader interest in law and policy.

Education

• PhD, Political Science, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1996
• MA, Political Science, Western Washington University, 1992
• BA, Political Science, Western Washington University, 1989

Courses

• POLS 171: Introduction to Political Futures
• POLS 375: Constitutional Law I: Institutional Power
• POLS 380: Environmental Law and Politics
• POLS 383: Politics and Public Policy II
• POLS 670: Introduction to Public Policy
• POLS 672: Politics of the Future
• POLS 673: The Future of Political Systems
• POLS 675: Topics in Public Policy

Research

I have focused primarily on the politics of intellectual property (IP) and as the topic has evolved and become more important both for individuals caught up in filesharing litigation and as an issue of international trade, my research has continued to primarily focus on IP. While much of my work has looked at how IP has evolved within the United States, the international political economy of IP has also been an important strand for my inquiry. Finally, IP futures and technology futures more broadly have been an important research area for me.

Community Engagement

I am a member of Oʻahu Search and Rescue and the Hawaiʻi Climbing Coalition.