Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>For centuries, copyright law has been a significant public policy tool for knowledge mobility. However, strong copyright laws have contributed to the commercialization of knowledge, which impedes the public’s access to adequate and affordable knowledge. The copyright maximalist approach contributes to promoting socio-economic inequalities worldwide and advancing ‘selective mobility’ of knowledge, making it accessible only to those who can afford to pay high prices. This presides over the disturbing issues of distributive justice. In this vein, it highlights the issue of copyright and access to knowledge in developing countries. The international IP ‘top-down approach’ has better served the interests of intellectual property-rich states, but has failed to fulfil the social welfare goals of developing countries, especially in respect to human development interests. This book builds on the role of copyright in building capacity for economic growth and development. Structured within a distributive justice framework, this book offers insights into the substantive inequalities surrounding access to books and other learning resources. It further poses the questions: Do copyright users in developed countries have the same interests as those in developing countries? How best to address the radical inequalities in relation to access to knowledge globally? In doing so, this volume critically evaluates the current copyright framework, considering the special needs of developing countries. It throws light on the role and inclusion of developing countries in international copyright and discusses the flexibilities provided to developing countries under international instruments.</jats:p>