The copy/south dossier : issues in the economics, politics, and ideology of copyright in the global south

Abstract

The aim of the dossier is to open up debate on the real impact of copyright laws affecting the people of the more than 150 developing countries in the Global South, many of whom have never read a book, have no access to the Internet and are facing an indeterminate future. The dossier highlights issues that are not only unique to the Global South, but also focuses on those issues that affect both sides of the North - South divide. This dossier is addressed to the general public, researchers, educators, librarians, activists, and organizations concerned about access to knowledge who want to learn more about the global role of copyright and, in particular, copyright's largely negative role in developing countries of the global South. In more than 50 articles totalling 215 pages, we, in the Copy/South Research Group, who have researched and debated these issues over the past 12 months, have tried to critically analyse and assess a wide range of copyright-related issues that impact on the daily lives (and future lives) of those who live in the global South.