Special Studies in Modernism: Steal This Seminar: Pirates and Copyrights in Lit, Law, and Culture

What is intellectual piracy? Should it be prohibited or encouraged? How does it relate to copyright, authorship, and other legal regimes and creative activities? We survey unlawful and lawful piracy from the 19th century to the present, focusing on British, Irish, and American authors, creators, publishers, and laws. Critical concepts and institutions of modernity include: copyright, commons, informal norms, privacy, obscenity, authorship, collaboration, publishers' trade courtesy. Our goals include developing research and rhetorical skills for writing effectively in the rapidly growing interdiscipline of law and literature.