Critical copyright literacy: Reading copyright as governmentality

Abstract

"Two notable social developments characterizing the last decade are an upsurge in cultural participation enabled by Web2.0 media and calls in state and national government policy for enhanced innovation through education. Paradoxically, this has occurred alongside increasingly restrictive access to cultural resources through changes to conventional copyright law. Concepts from governmentality theory are used here to examine this paradox. In particular, Foucault’s critique of the author figure and of ‘freedom’ as part of the ‘will to govern’ within liberal democratic societies is used to argue for a critical copyright literacy. This pedagogical intervention would include education on alternative and more socially productive cultural governance frameworks such as Creative Commons licensing."