Over the past decade, the scope of copyright and patent law has grown significantly, strengthening property rights, even when such rights seem to infringe upon other, more basic, priorities. This book investigates the ways in which activists, scholars, and communities are resisting the expansion of copyright and patent law in the information age. Debora J. Halbert explores how an alternative framework for understanding intellectual property - including about how we ought to think about the issues, the development of social movements around specific issues, and civil disobedience - has developed. Each chapter in the book discusses how resistance is developing in relation to a particular copyright or patent issue such as: access to patented medication access to copyrighted information and music via the Internet the patenting of genetic material. This controversial book examines the ways in which the idea of intellectual property is being re-thought by the victims of an over-expansive legal system. It will appeal to students and researchers from a range of disciplines, from law and political science to computer science, with an interest in intellectual property.

Intellectual property is rapidly becoming one of the most controversial aspects of American law with both domestic and international implications. The controversy over copyright law is largely a result of the rapidly growing internet which threatens clear copyright ownership. In fact, Halbert argues, the internet, through its emphasis on information exchange, inherently challenges the concept of intellectual property rights developed in the 18th century to protect written--not word-processed--works.

Halbert critiques the theoretical foundations and the present American approach to copyright law, and she concludes that we should not uncritically extend copyright law to the internet. More generally, we should keep the concept of intellectual property from colonizing knowledge and ideas. She attempts to describe how new technologies are brought within the boundaries of the intellectual property discourse and given legal legitimacy. Halbert touches on the historical roots of copyright law, the manner in which copyright law is used today, and provides a critique of our current attitudes toward intellectual property. Court cases, government documents, public policy recommendations, international trade agreements, the actions of key industries, and popular opinion provide insight into how intellectual property as a concept is being defined in the information age and used to enforce property boundaries. An important resource for scholars and professionals alike working in copyright related industries.

Over the past decade, the scope of copyright and patent law has grown significantly, strengthening property rights, even when such rights seem to infringe upon other, more basic, priorities. This book investigates the ways in which activists, scholars, and communities are resisting the expansion of copyright and patent law in the information age.
Debora J. Halbert explores how an alternative framework for understanding intellectual property-including about how we "ought" to think about the issues, the development of social movements around specific issues, and civil disobedience-has developed. Each chapter in the book discusses how resistance is developing in relation to a particular copyright or patent issue such as:
* Access to patented medication
* Access to copyrighted information and music via the Internet
* The patenting of genetic material.
This controversial book examines the ways in which the idea of intellectual property is being re-thought by the victims of an over-expansive legal system. It will appeal to students and researchers from a range of disciplines, from law and political science to computer science, with an interest in intellectual property.