[A2k] Copy/South dossier launch

[Alan Story]

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PRESS RELEASE: 17 May 2006

THE COPY/SOUTH DOSSIER

Issues in the economics, politics, and ideology of copyright in the global =
South.

Researched and published by the Copy/South Research Group        May 2006

ISBN: 978-0-9553140-1-8 (printed edition)          Not restricted by copyri=
ght

OVERVIEW:

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 I=
nternet and are facing an indeterminate future. The dossier highlights issu=
es 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, activi=
sts, and organisations concerned about access to knowledge who want to lear=
n more about the global role of copyright and, in particular, copyright's l=
argely negative role in developing countries of the global South. In more t=
han 50 articles totalling 215 pages, we in the Copy/South Research Group, w=
ho have researched and debated these issues over the past 12 months, have t=
ried to critically analyse and assess a wide range of copyright-related iss=
ues that impact on the daily lives (and future lives) of those who live in =
the global South.

BACKGROUND:

How did the Copy/South dossier come into being? A first and draft version w=
as prepared for a four-day intensive workshop held in August 2005 at the Un=
iversity of Kent in the United Kingdom and organised by the Copy/South Rese=
arch Group. Of the 22 people who attended this 'by invitation only'session,=
 more than 15 were from countries of the South. At this lively and very inf=
ormative session, the draft dossier was subjected to some sharp criticisms;=
 numerous suggestions for improvement were made, and additional articles an=
d research angles proposed. A second version was circulated internally in J=
anuary 2006. Further changes were made and this third version is the public=
 version. It is a work of North/South collaboration,a product of the sharin=
g of knowledge.

TO GET A COPY OF THE DOSSIER:

The dossier is being distributed for free. Go to the Copy/South website <ht=
tp://www.copysouth.org >, download the dossier, and print it off yourself. =
It is available in various formats (PDF and RTF) and in files of various le=
ngths to accommodate various download capacities.

Alternatively, contact us by e-mail <contact@copysouth.org>, and we can pos=
t you a copy of the dossier, either as a printed copy or as a CD.

CONTACT:

If you wish to contact The Copy/South Research Group for any reason -- for =
example, to make criticisms of the dossier, to give your own examples, to j=
oin in the future research effort -- our e-mail address is: <contact@copyso=
uth.org>.

FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS OF THE C/S RESEARCH GROUP: 1)The Open Society Institut=
e, Budapest, Hungary; 2) HIVOS,The Hague,The Netherlands; 3)The Research Fu=
nd of Kent Law School, Canterbury, Kent UK.

COPY/SOUTH RESEARCH GROUP 17 May 2006

http://www.copysouth.org








Alan Story
Senior Lecturer in IP Law
Kent Law School
University of Kent
Canterbury, Kent, UK
CT2 7NS
acs3@kent.ac.uk
+44 (0)1227 823316