Access to Knowledge in the Developing World: The Role of International Copyright Law

Worldwide, a copyright maximalist approach exacerbates socio-economic inequalities and the selective mobility of knowledge to only those who can afford to pay high prices. Structured in a distributive justice framework, Access to Knowledge in the Developing World provides insights into the substantive inequalities that deprive developing countries of adequate access to books and learning resources. This book focuses on the role of copyright and access to knowledge in building capacity for economic growth and development, examining the links between the copyright system and distributive justice.

Opening with a historical overview of early bilateralism and the origin of multilateralism in the global copyright regime, Mahalwar takes a rights-based approach to the concept of development to explore legal solutions. By investigating global copyright barriers to accessing knowledge, this book thus explores whether the existing legal framework adequately addresses the educational and research requirements of the developing world. The findings add a novel perspective on the special access needs of developing countries and the accommodations provided to them through international instruments.