Authorship and Copyright

Authorship and Copyright explores the history of constructions of authorship as a legal reality, offering an alternative to the Romantic and post-structuralist interpretations. It addresses the issues relating to copyright and the construction of authorship as a legal status, arguing that it is a historically contingent and variable arrangement that cannot be separated from its cultural and juridical context.

Format: Hardback
Length: 282 pages
Publication date: 28 February 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Authorship and Copyright, first published in 1992, delves into the historical evolution of authorship as a legal concept. It presents an alternative to the conventional interpretations of authorship, namely, the Romantic dialectical "birth of the author" and the language-based post-structuralist "death of the author." By critiquing these interpretations, Saunders argues that they impose an arbitrary philosophical framework on the study of authorship and copyright law.

The author addresses various issues related to copyright and the construction of authorship as a legal status. Through a combination of information and argumentation, Saunders explores topics such as the historical and theoretical connections between copyright and moral rights, the aestheticization of law, and the juridification of aesthetics. He also makes the case that authorship as a legal reality is a contingent and dynamic arrangement that cannot be isolated from its cultural and juridical context.

This book will appeal to students of law, literature, and philosophy, as it offers a comprehensive examination of the complex relationship between authorship, copyright, and the broader legal and cultural landscape.

Weight: 680g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032440972