Information Environmentalism

In the 21st century the information commons provides critical raw material for creativity and innovation. This book explores ways and means of protecting the ‘information environment’ by drawing upon four theories of contemporary environmentalism: welfare economics, the commons, ecology and public choice theory. Information Environmentalism applies four environmental analytical frameworks to the information commons. The book neatly captures the metaphorical relationship between the physical environment and the information environment by alluding to the environmental philosophy of ‘social ecology’ and the emergent informational discourse of ‘cultural environmentalism’. Robert Cunningham builds upon the proposition that the success of the environmental movement can be traced directly to these four analytical frameworks. He develops, refines and integrates the theoretical foundations of ‘cultural environmentalism’ and applies them to the digital age, in which the regulation of information will have a critical impact upon the manner in which human beings conduct their lives, and the manner in which society functions more generally.Offering an original contribution in its literal application of contemporary theories of environmentalism to intellectual property rights, this book will be a thought-provoking read for scholars and students with an interest in IP or the regulation of information.