This book appraises postcolonial perspectives to rethink the meaning of copyright and makes suggestions for its future within the global landscape of intellectual property law.
Drawing on the experience of Thailand as a case study, a country with a unique yet marginal position in discussions on colonialism, the book offers valuable insights for the international field of copyright law. Thai copyright law emerged in an era when the threat of European colonial powers inspired local ruling elites to embark on a quest for modernisation and establish a modern absolutist state. One can observe similar dynamics in the recent promotion of Thailand’s Creative Economy. Contrary to these top-down developments, the book argues for greater attention to attitudes and practices on the ground. Taking an interdisciplinary approach informed by film studies, area studies, decolonial studies, and legal sociology, the book makes a case to redefine copyright as a community resource.
The book will be of interest to researchers in the field of copyright law, postcolonial and decolonial studies, and sociolegal studies.
By:
Mespiti Poolsavasdi
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781032961118
ISBN 10: 1032961112
Series: Intellectual Property, Theory, Culture
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 15 August 2025
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Introduction: Copyright, Community, and Coloniality Part I: Colonial Modernity 1. The Coloniality of Legal Modernity 2.The Quest for Civilisation Part II: The Persistence of Coloniality 3. Thai Copyright in the Cultural Cold War 4. The War on Piracy Part III: A Line of Escape 5. On Belatedness 6. The Cinema of Interactions Part IV: Community After All 7. Copyright in (inter)action 8. Community Once More
Mespiti Poolsavasdi is a legal scholar specialising in copyright law and sociolegal studies. This book is based on his PhD dissertation from Queen Mary University of London (2023), which critically and constructively examined the development of copyright law in Thailand from a postcolonial perspective, offering fresh insights aimed at reshaping the law. He is currently a lecturer at the Thammasat University Faculty of Law, where he teaches and conducts research on intellectual property law with a focus on the intersections of law, culture, and society.
