The CopySouth Research Group, a global of academics formed in 2004 to discuss the impact of copyrights on the global South, has released a series of nine papers prepared for its workshop last June.
Says the CSRG: “We turn first to the general issue of cultural flows between the north and the south. Central to issues of copyright are the ways in which those controlling policymaking are able to define concepts such as piracy within the context of copyright policy. Debora Halbert argues in her paper that despite the prevailing assumption that culture flows southward from the north, and that piracy defines the relationship between cultural producers and consumers, it is essential to understand the importance of cultural flows in all directions and establish a legal framework that does not punish the flow of culture but rather facilitates it. Lillian Alvarez discusses in her paper the importance cultural diversity and the experiences in Cuba seeking to defend cultural diversity. One of the more recent cases coming out of the United States that will affect access to knowledge is the Google Books settlement, the subject of Alan Story’s piece. Story places the Googlization of everying under a critical lens and seeks to position our understanding of Google books within the larger context of access to knowledge. Juan Carlos Cordero and Mat Callahan both professional musicians who understand the copyright system as it impacts the creation of music, have written papers helping to elaborate on the negative impact of copyright law for music, both historically and in the future. Finally, there are a series of excellent papers taking up copyright from a political economy perspective. Darch, Dantas, Vianna, and Verzola each subject copyright to an analysis that suggests it lacks when factors such as abundance, access to knowledge, and social justice are part of the analysis.
“While opinions regarding the impact of copyright and its ultimate fate varied widely across those present at the workshop, in general the approach taken by those working with the CSRG take a critical position regarding copyright. The arguments presented at the workshop suggest that the overall affect of copyright policy has been negative for the global south.”
