Digital Copyright Contested. A Cultural Sociological Approach to Online Debates on Creativity, Control and Salvation

Mgr. Roosje Karlijn Derks, BA (Hons)

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Exemplary for the tension between established industries, digital technology and legislation, the online copyright debate is addressed as a sphere where ideologies collide. A discourse analysis of prominent texts in the digital copyright debate aims to uncover the worldviews that structure different opinions on the legitimacy of digital copyright. Two opposing stances are grouped together under the names of Free Culture and Artist Rights. The discourse analysis pays close attention to master narratives, metaphors and a sacred/polluted binary is proposed as an underlying deep structure. The methodology is inspired by the Strong Program in Cultural Sociology. The literature review discusses the strong ideological and discursive underpinnings in our understanding of both copyright law and networked technology. Furthermore, a study of rise of digital utopianism is brought forward as a cultural approach to technology, and as the historical prelude to the Free Culture Ideology. The Artists Rights discourse can be seen as a reaction to Free Culture advocacy, and a sign that the latter is on its way to become a hegemonic ideology in the perception of what belongs to legitimate creative expression online.

Abstract:

Exemplary for the tension between established industries, digital technology and legislation, the online copyright debate is addressed as a sphere where ideologies collide. A discourse analysis of prominent texts in the digital copyright debate aims to uncover the worldviews that structure different opinions on the legitimacy of digital copyright. Two opposing stances are grouped together under the names of Free Culture and Artist Rights. The discourse analysis pays close attention to master narratives, metaphors and a sacred/polluted binary is proposed as an underlying deep structure. The methodology is inspired by the Strong Program in Cultural Sociology. The literature review discusses the strong ideological and discursive underpinnings in our understanding of both copyright law and networked technology. Furthermore, a study of rise of digital utopianism is brought forward as a cultural approach to technology, and as the historical prelude to the Free Culture Ideology. The Artists Rights discourse can be seen as a reaction to Free Culture advocacy, and a sign that the latter is on its way to become a hegemonic ideology in the perception of what belongs to legitimate creative expression online.

Keywords

Digital Copyright, Discourse Analysis, Cultural Sociology, Web 2.0, Free Culture, Digital Utopianism

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 25. 5. 2015

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 16. 6. 2015
• Supervisor: Dr. Werner Binder
• Reader: M.A. Dominik Bartmanski, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
Sociology / Cultural Sociology (Eng.)