Thematic Synthesis of Dr. Abiola Inniss’s Scholarly Contributions

 Thematic Synthesis of Dr. Abiola Inniss’s Scholarly Contributions

An analysis across Dr. Inniss's entire body of work—from her dissertation and peer-reviewed articles to her books and public commentary—reveals a consistent and coherent intellectual project. Her peer-reviewed publications provide the empirical and theoretical foundation for the broader advocacy and policy recommendations present in her other writings.

A. The Central Thesis: The Imperative for a Bespoke Caribbean IP Framework

The unifying thread across all of Dr. Inniss's work is a powerful argument against the simple transposition of IP models from developed nations onto the unique legal, cultural, and economic landscape of the Caribbean.¹³ She contends that such an approach is not only ineffective but can be detrimental to regional development. Her 2017 dissertation provides the empirical data for this thesis, identifying a significant "paucity of data" on the issue and a profound disconnect between existing top-down policies and the actual innovation activities of local firms.⁵

Her 2024 peer-reviewed article elevates this empirical finding into a sophisticated policy critique. It argues that CARICOM must cease reacting to the agendas of international organizations and instead proactively "plot a course" that is internally driven and tailored to the region's specific needs.¹³ This academic argument is then translated into a concrete call for institutional reform in her public commentary, where she proposes practical solutions such as empowering the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to serve as a court of first instance for IP matters, thereby creating a harmonized and contextually relevant regional jurisprudence.¹⁷

B. Diagnosing Systemic Deficiencies: A Multi-faceted Critique

Dr. Inniss's scholarship provides a comprehensive diagnosis of the interlocking failures within the Caribbean's IP ecosystem. Key deficiencies identified include:

• A Policy Vacuum: She points to a persistent "lack of clear direction on the development of science, technology, and innovation" at the highest levels of CARICOM government, resulting in an incoherent and ineffective policy environment.¹⁴
• Ineffective External Interventions: She is highly critical of the role of international donors and agencies. While often well-intentioned, their efforts manifest as "piecemeal promotional projects" and short-term project cycles that fail to create sustainable capacity.¹³ She further argues that these initiatives are often more focused on enforcing IPRs to prevent revenue loss for developed countries than on genuinely fostering local innovation in developing nations.¹³
• Socio-Economic Realities: Her analysis acknowledges the deep disconnect between formal IP law and the on-the-ground economic reality where many citizens and small businesses survive by participating in the informal economy, including dealing in "bootlegged goods".¹⁷ This highlights the critical need for policies that align with the maximization of social welfare, a central tenet of the theoretical framework used in her dissertation.⁵
• Cultural Uniqueness: Dr. Inniss emphasizes that the IP challenges of the Caribbean are distinct, involving the protection of traditional knowledge and cultural expressions from unique indigenous and syncretic groups—such as Rastafarians, Shango practitioners, and Jordanites—which are not adequately addressed by conventional Western IP regimes.¹⁶

This multi-faceted critique demonstrates a clear causal chain running through her work. The empirical findings from her 2017 dissertation—for example, the counterintuitive observation of "high levels of innovation where policies were weakest"—provide the foundational evidence.⁵ This evidence directly informs the theoretical arguments in her 2024 peer-reviewed article, which explains

why this paradox exists by pointing to flawed policy processes and misaligned international agendas.¹³ This, in turn, provides the rationale for the concrete policy proposals found in her public commentary, such as the call for a new role for the CCJ.¹⁷ This progression from empirical data ("what") to theoretical explanation ("why") to practical solution ("how") represents a complete research-to-impact cycle, characteristic of a highly effective policy-oriented scholar.

C. Prescriptive Reforms and a Vision for the Future

Dr. Inniss's work is fundamentally prescriptive, moving beyond critique to offer a clear roadmap for reform. Her key recommendations include:

• Institutional Reform: She advocates for the creation of a robust, centralized regional mechanism for IP regulation and dispute resolution. Her specific proposal to grant the CCJ jurisdiction over first-instance IP matters is designed to be a "cost effective and efficient method of implementing a Caribbean solution to a Caribbean problem".¹⁷
• Strategic Policy Planning: She calls for a fundamental shift away from reactive, ad-hoc projects towards deliberate, evidence-based, and long-term "policy planning and evaluation," which she identifies as essential tools for building a functional and sustainable IP framework.¹³
• Public Sensitization: Recognizing that legal frameworks alone are insufficient, she argues for a massive, region-wide public education campaign on IP rights. This effort, she contends, must be carried out with the same "vigor and energy apportioned to other important issues such as HIV/AIDS and human rights" to foster a cultural shift that values and protects local creation.¹⁶

V. Conclusion and Avenues for Further Inquiry

A. Definitive Summary of Findings

This report was tasked with identifying the peer-reviewed articles of Dr. Abiola Inniss based on a comprehensive analysis of the provided documentation. By first establishing a rigorous definition of peer review and systematically categorizing Dr. Inniss's diverse publication record, this analysis has reached a definitive conclusion. Based on the evidence, which includes the explicit double-blind peer-review policies of the publishing venue, Dr. Abiola Inniss has several  peer-reviewed publications, two of the more prominent ones are:

1. Inniss, A. (2024). The Making of Policy on Intellectual Property, Innovation, and Technology Within the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the International Agenda. Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, 18(1). ¹³
2. Inniss, A. A. (2021). Review of the book The Protection of Traditional Cultural Expressions in Africa, by Enyinna Nwauche. Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, 15(1), 104–106. ¹⁵

Her other significant scholarly work, her 2017 dissertation titled "Examining Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Technology Within the Caricom Single Market and Economy," is classified as committee reviewed. Her books, online articles, and professional commentaries are valuable contributions to policy discourse and public education but do not meet the formal criteria for peer-reviewed journal articles.

B. Concluding Assessment of Scholarly Impact

The analysis of Dr. Abiola Inniss's work reveals her to be a quintessential scholar-practitioner. She effectively bridges the gap between rigorous, empirically grounded academic research and applied policy advocacy. Her scholarship provides a critical and nuanced diagnosis of the systemic challenges confronting intellectual property policy and innovation in the Caribbean. More importantly, her work does not rest on critique alone; it offers a clear, evidence-based, and institutionally grounded roadmap for reform. Her intellectual contributions are vital for policymakers, legal professionals, and scholars seeking to understand and address the unique challenges of fostering innovation and protecting intellectual property within the Caribbean Community and other developing regions.