[Commlist] New book - Critical Digital and Social Media Studies series – Intellectual Commons and the Law

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*INTELLECTUAL COMMONS AND THE LAW*

*A Normative Theory for Commons-Based Peer Production*

Antonios Broumas

At the cutting edge of contemporary wealth creation people form 
self-governed communities of collaborative innovation in conditions of 
relative equipotency and produce resources with free access to all. The 
emergent intellectual commons have the potential to commonify 
intellectual production and distribution, unleash human creativity 
through collaboration and democratise innovation with wider positive 
effects for our societies. Contemporary intellectual property laws fail 
to address this potential. We are, therefore, in pressing need of an 
institutional alternative beyond the inherent limitations of 
intellectual property law. This book offers an overall analysis of the 
moral significance of the intellectual commons and outlines appropriate 
modes for their regulation. Its principal thesis is that our legal 
systems are in need of an independent body of law for the protection and 
promotion of the intellectual commons, in parallel to intellectual 
property law. In this context, the author of the book proposes the 
reconstruction of the doctrine of the public domain and the exceptions 
and limitations of exclusive intellectual property rights into an 
intellectual commons law, which will underpin a vibrant non-commercial 
zone of creativity and innovation in intellectual production, 
distribution and consumption alongside commodity markets enabled by 
intellectual property law.

‘A bold new theory of intellectual commons and powerful arguments for a 
new body of supportive law. It reveals the rich possibilities for 
constructive change that legally protected commoning can bring. Highly 
recommended!’—David Bollier, Schumacher Center for a New Economics.

‘Liberating the Intellectual Commons from the fetters of capital 
accumulation and appropriation, would give us a renaissance of creative 
energies and empowered communities. A thoughtful and compelling argument 
for making this possible’—Massimo De Angelis, University of East London

‘Antonios Broumas argues that we are in urgent need of a new legal 
regime that recognizes the intellectual commons, peer production and 
sharing. This book should be read by lawyers, critical theorists, 
economists and the many professionals of science, culture and the 
academy. —Costas Douzinas, Birkbeck, University of London.

‘Brilliantly outlines the foundations of an empirically grounded 
critical theory of the commons.’—Christian Fuchs author of Communication 
and Capitalism: A Critical Theory (2020).

‘Broumas takes us on a spellbinding tour of how and why the law could 
and should change to accommodate the creative multitude. He tells a 
vibrant story that makes us shout: ‘Lawmakers of the world, 
unite!’—Vasilis Kostakis, Tallinn University of Technology and Harvard 
Law School.

*Contents*

1. Introduction

2. The ontology of the intellectual commons

3. Theories of the intellectual commons

4. Cultural commons and the law from the Renaissance to Postmodernity: A 
case study

5. Researching the social value of the commons: Methodology and design

6. Social value of the intellectual commons: Dimensions of commons-based 
value

7. The social value of the intellectual commons: Commons-based and 
monetary value dialectics

8. The social value of the intellectual commons: Conclusions on 
commons-based value

9. Towards a normative theory of the intellectual commons

10. Conclusion

Notes | Bibliography | Index

*Subject *

Communication Studies | Intellectual Property Law | Policy Studies

*Author*

Antonois Broumas is a technology lawyer, academic researcher and social 
activist. He holds postgraduate degrees in philosophy of law and IT and 
electronic communications law from the Universities of Athens and 
Strathclyde and has published widely on social movements, commons 
theory, critical jurisprudence and critical media studies.

*Open Access*

PDF, ePub and kindle versions available free from 
https://uwestminsterpress.co.uk/site books/10.16997/book/48 
<https://uwestminsterpress.co.uk/site%20books/10.16997/book/48%20%20%20Paperback%20978-1-912656-87-5>

Paperback 978-1-912656-87-5

PDF 978-1-912656-88-2

ePub 978-1-912656-89-9

Kindle 978-1-912656-90-5

DOI: https://10.16997/book49

*Format*

222 pages 229 x 152mm

Paperback  UK £24.99 US  $32 EUR €28.00 CAN $48 AUS $52

Published open access by the University of Westminster Press

https://www.uwestminsterpress.co.uk/site/books/10.16997/book48 
<https://www.uwestminsterpress.co.uk/site/books/10.16997/book48>

Published 25 November 2020

This book is published in the Critical Digital and Social Media Studies 
Series

https//www.uwestminsterpress.co.uk/site/books/series/critical-digital-and-social-media-studies 
<https/www.uwestminsterpress.co.uk/site/books/10.16997/book48>

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