Celebrated novelist and philosopher John Ralston Saul is coming to Calgary.
Saul will be the keynote speaker at the Ethics, Creativity and Copyright Conference, sponsored by the University of Calgary and the Banff Centre.
In his address, entitled, “From Birds of Prey to the Collapse of Globalism,” Saul will discuss the impact of globalism on copyright. Saul is expected to speak on the subject from two different perspectives, both as a working writer, and as a political philosopher who questions the effects of globalism on all aspects of life.
“Saul is a well-known and very good speaker who has two different perspectives on copyright,” said Dr. Greg Hagen, faculty of law assistant professor and co-organizer of the conference. “It really encapsulates the debate between users and artists.”
The conference itself will focus on contemporary issues in copyright and their causes, such as changes to copyright law and the effect on technological advances and shifting copyright policy.
All of these issues are causing a re-examination of the place of copyright in today’s society, said Hagen.
“These issues are influenced by such happenings as the digitization of information and the globalization of copyright policy and intellectual property norms,” said Hagen, noting copyright also affects students.
“It might be okay to have a strong copyright in a commercial context, but if you have starving students who can’t afford books or other materials for education–which is a value–it impacts the ability of people to afford education.”