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Dr Henrique Carvalho

Positions held:
  • Lecturer, Birkbeck Law School
  • Overview

    Overview

    Biography

    Dr Henrique Carvalho is a Lecturer in Law at the Birkbeck School of Law, University of London since 2019, where he completed his PhD with the dissertation 'Abstracted objects: The vernacular metaphysics of copyright law' in 2022. Prior to joining Birkbeck as a PhD researcher and teaching assistant, Henrique taught at the Faculty of Law of the University of Macau, China (2008-2014). Henrique has also taught at the Birkbeck School of Arts and at the Kent Law School.

    Web profiles

    Administrative responsibilities

    • Director of International Students (School of Law)
    • Teaching and Scholarship Staff Liasion Officer (School of Law)

    ORCID

    0000-0002-3395-4973
  • Research

    Research

    Research interests

    • History and Theory of Intellectual Property Law
    • Marxism
    • Ontology
    • Materiality

    Research overview

    I am particularly interested in the history and theory of intellectual property. In my doctoral dissertation I have explored the vernacular metaphysics of copyright law, in other words, the operations through which copyright law construes its objects. In conversation with the work of Lionel Bently, Peter Drahos, Alain Pottage and Brad Sherman, I have argued that intangible property emerged in eighteenth century Britain as a real abstraction, against the backdrop of the actual division between intellectual and manual labour.

    My current research attempts to bring together an analysis of the operations of law and the operations of capital in the formation of intellectual property law.

  • Supervision and teaching

    Supervision and teaching

    Supervision

    Supervisions within Birkbeck:
    1

    I welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students who are interested in undertaking research in intellectual property law from a critical and theoretical perspective.

    Current doctoral researchers

    • SOUMYAJIT BASU
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor, onwards

    Teaching

    Teaching modules

    • Property and Technology (LALW062S7)
    • Intellectual Property Law II (Patents and Trade Marks) (LALW094H6)
    • Regulating the Creative Economy (LALW109S7)
    • Trade Marks and Digital Markets (LALW110S7)