New Directions in Copyright Law series – serie

As one of the most flexible of the intellectual property rights, copyright law is under constant pressure to adapt and expand in the face of new and sometimes unforeseen challenges and developments. This book is the first in an important new six volume series whose aim is to consider the purpose, role, function and future of the copyright system. The book, and indeed the series, comprises thoughtful, critical and often challenging contributions from an international, multidisciplinary network of scholars. It brings together perspectives on copyright from law, politics, economics, cultural studies and social theory in an effort to forge a truly coherent and meaningful agenda for the future of copyright. Volume 1 presents first a thorough re-examination of the underlying theoretical foundations of copyright law, engaging with such issues as the moral justifications for copyright, and the appropriateness of copyright in a globalised world. The book goes on to examine the convergence and divergence of intellectual property rights in the context of globalisation.Bold in its attempt to be original, this book should be read by anyone interested in the future of copyright, regardless of discipline, and in intellectual property more generally.

This second volume contains further exploration of the themes considered in Volume 1, namely the theoretical framework of copyright, and the convergence, divergence and globalisation of copyright. New Directions in Copyright Law, Volume 2 offers valuable insights into developments in rights neighbouring on copyright, such as the EU database directive and television broadcast copyright. It also considers the protection of traditional knowledge - such as the legal protection of folklore, freedom of speech and communication channels. In addition the book investigates copyright and new technologies, taking examples from the music industry and from digital policing. Finally, the authors present views on the tension between corporate power and human rights in the context of copyright, questioning whether it is possible to strike a productive and meaningful balance.With contributions from leading copyright scholars and commentators from a diverse range of theoretical and disciplinary backgrounds, this book will be of interest to all those concerned with the problems plaguing the modern copyright system.

This book, the third in the series, follows the themes considered in the first two volumes and brings together perspectives on copyright from law, politics, economics, cultural studies and social theory in an effort to forge a truly coherent and meaningful agenda for the future of copyright. New Directions in Copyright Law, Volume 3 comprises thoughtful, critical and often challenging contributions from an international, multidisciplinary network of scholars who continue the exploration of the role, function and theoretical basis of copyright law. Themes such as the developments in related rights and rights neighbouring on copyright are discussed as well as the protection of traditional knowledge and culture.Playing a leading role in stimulating international research and debate about the future of the copyright system, this book will be of great interest to copyright scholars and copyright stakeholders.

This fourth volume in the series contains further exploration of the main themes considered in the first three volumes and brings together perspectives on copyright from law and legal theory, political economy, human rights, cultural studies and social theory.New Directions in Copyright Law, Volume 4, offers insightful contributions from leading commentators on a range of issues affecting the development and direction of copyright law. The volume is divided into six parts. In the first part, the theoretical framework of copyright law is explored through the concepts of the market place of ideas and the public domain. While a number of chapters address substantive aspects of copyright law reform, the second part of the volume contains a chapter that marries substantive questions with issues around the mechanics, limitations and possibilities of the reform process. In the third part, two chapters consider the problematic notion of paternity rights from contrasting disciplinary perspectives. The interface between copyright law and the burgeoning of new technologies is considered through a range of theoretical and methodological approaches. In the fourth part of the volume legal theorists address issues around open access, open source, free software, and the implications of network theory for the relationship between copyright law and the Internet. Moving away from the concerns of so-called 'high technology', the fifth part of the volume considers the equally fraught question of the protection of traditional knowledge and cultural property through an analysis of the limits of law. The final part of the volume, which deals with copyright's uncomfortable relationship with human rights, sees a return to issues around the new technologies with a focus on the political economy of open source software, and on the issue of information access and fundamental rights.

This book continues the exploration of the role, function and theoretical basis of copyright law examined in the first four volumes. New Directions in Copyright Law, Volume 5, offers valuable insights into simulating international research and debate about the future of the copyright system. The international and multidisciplinary core of scholars in this book focus on two themes: copyright and the new technologies; and copyright, corporate power and human rights. This book should be read by anyone interested in the future of copyright, regardless of discipline.