A Framework for a Capabilities-Based Approach to Copyright

Abstract This article highlights the importance of an analysis of copyright law from a human development perspective. Drawing on Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach, it outlines why copyright scholarship and policymaking should address human capabilities. It also explores several...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Megha Jandhyala
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Escola de Direito 2021-09-01
Series:Revista Direito GV
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1808-24322021000200201&tlng=en
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832573797589319680
author Megha Jandhyala
author_facet Megha Jandhyala
author_sort Megha Jandhyala
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This article highlights the importance of an analysis of copyright law from a human development perspective. Drawing on Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach, it outlines why copyright scholarship and policymaking should address human capabilities. It also explores several vital questions that a human development approach to copyright raises, including questions about the distributional effects of copyright law. It examines Mary Sue fan fiction through the lens of the Capabilities Approach to illustrate how the approach differs from the standard utilitarian approach to copyright. Furthermore, it argues that several factors associated with a country’s level of development, particularly its social, economic, and institutional contexts, affect the relationship between copyright and human capabilities. Therefore, rather than making broad generalizations about whether or not copyright law is good or bad for human development, it concludes that aspects of copyright law can enhance human development in the presence of certain other factors (such as strong indigenous industries and institutions). Conversely, aspects of copyright law can have a significant negative impact on human capabilities in certain environments, such as a weak institutional environment, or a socio-economic environment that is fraught with inequality. To illustrate this point, the article examines the issue of piracy through the lens of the Capabilities Approach.
format Article
id doaj-art-e69d7bb2264340068eedd4709369875d
institution Kabale University
issn 2317-6172
language English
publishDate 2021-09-01
publisher Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Escola de Direito
record_format Article
series Revista Direito GV
spelling doaj-art-e69d7bb2264340068eedd4709369875d2025-02-02T02:57:45ZengFundação Getúlio Vargas, Escola de DireitoRevista Direito GV2317-61722021-09-0117210.1590/2317-6172202123A Framework for a Capabilities-Based Approach to CopyrightMegha Jandhyalahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7499-3362Abstract This article highlights the importance of an analysis of copyright law from a human development perspective. Drawing on Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach, it outlines why copyright scholarship and policymaking should address human capabilities. It also explores several vital questions that a human development approach to copyright raises, including questions about the distributional effects of copyright law. It examines Mary Sue fan fiction through the lens of the Capabilities Approach to illustrate how the approach differs from the standard utilitarian approach to copyright. Furthermore, it argues that several factors associated with a country’s level of development, particularly its social, economic, and institutional contexts, affect the relationship between copyright and human capabilities. Therefore, rather than making broad generalizations about whether or not copyright law is good or bad for human development, it concludes that aspects of copyright law can enhance human development in the presence of certain other factors (such as strong indigenous industries and institutions). Conversely, aspects of copyright law can have a significant negative impact on human capabilities in certain environments, such as a weak institutional environment, or a socio-economic environment that is fraught with inequality. To illustrate this point, the article examines the issue of piracy through the lens of the Capabilities Approach.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1808-24322021000200201&tlng=enCopyright theorycapabilities approachpiracyfair usehuman development
spellingShingle Megha Jandhyala
A Framework for a Capabilities-Based Approach to Copyright
Revista Direito GV
Copyright theory
capabilities approach
piracy
fair use
human development
title A Framework for a Capabilities-Based Approach to Copyright
title_full A Framework for a Capabilities-Based Approach to Copyright
title_fullStr A Framework for a Capabilities-Based Approach to Copyright
title_full_unstemmed A Framework for a Capabilities-Based Approach to Copyright
title_short A Framework for a Capabilities-Based Approach to Copyright
title_sort framework for a capabilities based approach to copyright
topic Copyright theory
capabilities approach
piracy
fair use
human development
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1808-24322021000200201&tlng=en
work_keys_str_mv AT meghajandhyala aframeworkforacapabilitiesbasedapproachtocopyright
AT meghajandhyala frameworkforacapabilitiesbasedapproachtocopyright