We are moving into a knowledge economy in which information is becoming a major source of power. Having and knowing how to use information effectively make all the difference, be it in making a kill in the stock market, producing drugs and pharmaceuticals, weapons that can rake in huge profits, or even acquiring superpower status and dominating the world. One of the most distressing developments of the modern world is the privatization of research by companies small and big at the cost of public good research. Every conceivable development – be it a new drug or new ways of communicating – is now patented and kept away from free and open access. In many conferences held in the USA, members and fellows who are foreign citizens are not allowed to attend certain sessions. The most widespread discrimination is in the matter of access to published information by pricing it out of reach of the developing world. In crucial areas like food and nutrition (agriculture), health care, and computing, privatization of public knowledge is exacerbating the divide between the rich and the poor, which, if it continues for long and crosses a threshold, might lead to undesirable consequences.

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I want the full text of the paper. I do not remember where this event was held (probably 2004).

I will be grateful for your help.

With warm regards,

Subbiah Arunachalam                                                                          http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4398-4658                          http://www.researcherid.com/rid/B-9925-2009