Sara Bannerman, The Struggle for Canadian Copyright: Imperialism to Internationalism, 1842-1971
In The Struggle for Canadian Copyright: Imperialism to Internationalism, 1842-1971, Sara Bannerman narrates the complex story of Canada\u2019s copyright policy since the mid-19th century. The book details the country\u2019s halting attempts to craft a copyright regime responsive both to its position as a net importer of published work and to its peculiar political geography as a British dominion bordering the United States. Bannerman charts Canada\u2019s early, largely unsuccessful effort to craft a less restrictive policy in the run up to, and aftermath of, the 1886 Berne Convention-the multilateral agreement that established the enduring framework for the international copyright system. The main obstacle, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, was Britain\u2019s insistence on a uniform and Berne-friendly policy throughout the empire. Even as those imperial constraints fell away over the first half of the 20th century, Canada increasingly aligned with powerful net exporters like France and Britain\u2013in large part, Bannerman shows, to strengthen the country\u2019s image as a model international citizen. The Struggle for Canadian Copyright is a story of constraint\u2013the country\u2019s copyright independence was never won\u2013but Bannerman\u2019s account also highlights the historical contingency of the restrictive norms that dominate international IP policy. A companion website includes archival documents and other materials.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices\nSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law