Innovation Law and Theory Workshop
Wendy J. Gordon
Professor of Law, Boston University School of Law
Deserving Speech: Who We Are and What We Do
New Date: Tuesday December 4, 2007
Time: 2:10 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Place: Solarium FA2, Falconer Hall, 84 Queen’s Park
The law embodies the notion that we “deserve” our speech in two quite different entitlements: claim-rights to exclude others from our speech, and liberty rights to speak freely. The topic of Prof. Gordon’s talk is what rules should mediate the conflict between these rights. To answer that question, and to tie together various of her articles on free speech and copyright, Professor Gordon borrows a distinction from Hart and Waldron: the distinction between general rights that arise out of who we are, and special rights that arise out of what we and others do. Much of copyright arises out of what we do (we act as authors.) Much of free speech arises out of what we are (human). But Professor Gordon seeks to show how human interactions can increase the strength of free speech claims as against the copyright owner’s urge to exclude.
Professor Wendy Gordon is Paul J. Liacos Scholar in Law and Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law. She has served as the Visiting Senior Research Fellow at St John’s College, Oxford; as a visiting professor at Toronto, University of Chicago, Georgetown, and University of Michigan; and is known worldwide for her interdisciplinary work on copyright.
RSVPs are appreciated: centre.ilp@utoronto.ca or 416-978-3724
www.innovationlaw.org
Sponsored by the Microsoft Law and Information Society Project