Connected Origins: Locating Relationality in Copyright History
The first chapter details how the author, user and pirate emerged collectively over the first two centuries of copyright’s existence, and argues that these subjects still intersect today. This analysis also stands as a brief introduction to the history of copyright law for unfamiliar readers, charting the emergence and subsequent development of copyright law. The chapter ends by critiquing the increased reification of authorship that has occurred over the twentieth century and makes a case for the continued relevance of relationality in this context.