IMPACT GHANA. INSPIRE AFRICA. ENGAGE THE WORLD.
FLOWERS
SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
Dr. Josephine Asmah
Intellectual Property Law, Gender & Politics, Law & Technology
Josephine Asmah, LL.D
Dr. Josephine Asmah is a legal scholar and consultant specialising in intellectual property law, traditional knowledge, cultural heritage, open access, and law and technology. She holds an LL.D. from the University of Ottawa, an LL.M. from Dalhousie University, and an LL.B. with a minor in French from the University of Ghana. Her work reflects a strong interdisciplinary commitment to connecting law, culture, technology, and sustainable development.
She has taught at the University of Ottawa, where she developed and delivered the course “African Women, Law and Politics” and served as a bilingual teaching assistant in International Intellectual Property Law. Her broader instructional experience includes academic writing, professional communication, English language teaching, and learner development, supported by a TESL certificate from Saint Mary’s University.
Dr. Asmah has held professional roles such as Associate Editor of the Journal of World Intellectual Property (Blackwell–Wiley), overseeing editorial workflows, peer review coordination, and publication standards. She has also practised as legal counsel in Ghana in areas including petroleum, land, contract, and mining law, and has consulted for organisations such as the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences on international open-access policy.
Her research and consultancy interests span traditional textiles, indigenous knowledge systems, environmental dimensions of textile production, intellectual property and SMEs, and emerging technologies. She has published on cultural heritage, copyright, sustainable textiles, and open access in venues such as the International Journal of Cultural Property, and authored a significant 2014 policy study on open-access monographs. Dr. Asmah continues to explore the role of intellectual property in entrepreneurship, cultural preservation, and technological change while supporting learners and institutions through teaching, mentorship, and professional development.
Professional Biography
Research and Teaching Interests
Selected Publications and Conferences
Collaboration and Engagement
Professional Biography
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
LL.D, University of Ottawa, Canada.
LL.M, Dalhousie University, Canada.
LL.B, University of Ghana, Ghana.
Research and Teaching Interests
RESEARCH & TEACHING INTERESTS
Professional Development
Academic Writing and Publication
Language and Study Skills
Creative Problem Solving
Gender and Politics
Health and Human Rights
Art Law
Traditional Knowledge
Intellectual Property Law, Open Access and Traditional Knowledge
Cultural Heritage Protection
Cultural Appropriation
Textiles standards, certification and design authentication
International Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual Property Law and Entrepreneurship
Law and Technology
Selected Publications and Conferences
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
- Asmah, Josephine (2014): International Policy and Practice on Open Access for Monographs. Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Ottawa, online: http://www.ideas-idees.ca/sites/default/files/aspp-oa-appendix.pdf
- Josephine Asmah (2012). Book Review of Boatema Boateng 'The Copyright Thing Doesn't Work Here: Adinkra and Kente Cloth and Intellectual Property in Ghana' International Journal of Cultural Property, 19, pp 217-222. doi:10.1017/S0940739112000124, online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0940739112000124
- Josephine Asmah (2008). Historical Threads: Intellectual Property Protection of Traditional Textile Designs: The Ghanaian Experience and African Perspectives. International Journal of Cultural Property, 15 , pp 271-296. doi:10.1017/S0940739108080168, online http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0940739108080168
Collaboration and Engagement
COLLABORATION & ENGAGEMENT
Dr. Josephine Asmah welcomes collaborations that advance the protection, utilisation, and sustainable development of knowledge, culture, and innovation in Africa and globally. Her work sits at the intersection of intellectual property law, traditional knowledge systems, cultural heritage, textile design, technology adoption, open access, and entrepreneurship, making her an invaluable partner for research teams, cultural institutions, development agencies, and innovation-focused organisations.
Her current projects include exploring the implications of new technologies on intellectual property systems, developing technical methods for provenance certification, analysing textile standards and environmental impacts, and strengthening IP frameworks for SMEs, artisans, and creative sectors She also supports initiatives in academic writing, publication skills, and professional development—empowering individuals and organisations to engage more effectively with research, policy, and innovation.
Dr. Asmah’s collaboration interests align strongly with several Sustainable Development Goals, especially:
- SDG 4 — Quality Education (academic writing, knowledge access, professional development)
- SDG 5 — Gender Equality (African women, law, politics, human rights)
- SDG 8 — Decent Work & Economic Growth (creative industries, SMEs, entrepreneurship)
- SDG 9 — Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure (technology, certification systems)
- SDG 12 — Responsible Consumption & Production (sustainable textiles, environmental impacts)
- SDG 17 — Partnerships for the Goals (research networks, interdisciplinary collaboration)
She welcomes partnerships involving:
- applied research projects
- cultural and heritage protection initiatives
- IP and technology policy work
- sustainable textiles and provenance certification
- academic writing and publication programmes
- creative industries and entrepreneurial development
- capacity-building and professional training
- open-access and knowledge-equity policy development
Dr. Asmah is open to collaborations across academia, civil society, government, and industry—particularly those seeking rigorous legal analysis, interdisciplinary insight, and practical solutions that support sustainable cultural, technological, and economic development.