This book addresses the recent debate about copyright law and its impact on the distribution of scientific knowledge from an economic perspective. The focus is on the question whether a copyright regime or an open access regime is better suited to the norms and organizational structure in a purely global science community. The book undertakes a thorough economic analysis of the academic journal market and showcases consequences of a regime change. It also takes account of the Digital Divide debate, reflecting issues in developing countries. Finally, a comprehensive analysis of legal action in the light of international Intellectual Property (IP) agreements offers prospects on the future of academic publishing.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Introduction. - Some Fundamental Economics. - Academic Journal Publishing and the Open Access Movement. - On the Access Principle in Science: A Law & Economics Analysis. - The Future of Academic Publishing. - Conclusions and Further Research. - Appendix.
