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Cited by 45Open Source Software InnovationsIntellectual Property Rights and MediaCopyright and Intellectual Property

Culture's Open Sources: Software, Copyright, and Cultural Critique

Open access
Kelty, Christopher M·2004·Anthropological Quarterly
DOI 10.1353/anq.2004.0042
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Abstract

O ver the last two decades, there has emerged a practice of software pro- gramming and distribution which, when combined with novel uses of intellectual property law, has come to be known as "free software" or "open source software."It is distinguished from other forms and practices of software production for many reasons, but most interestingly because its practitioners discuss it not simply in technical terms, but as a philosophy, a politics, a critique, a social movement, a revolution, or even a "way of life."For practitioners, observers, and advocates who have been drawn into this net of zeitgeisty claims, it seems to offer an answer to the 21st century question of how we should live-or at least, how we should promise, share, code, hack, license, lawyer, organize, buy, sell, own, sing, play, or write.More recently, such talk has broken free of its connection to software and become common amongst artists, writers, scientists, NGOs, and activists.It has provided them with not only a new rhetoric, but a new set of practices concerning authorship, ownership, expression, speech, law, politics, and technology.These papers are short pieces that represent new anthropological research on these phenomena in widely disparate social spaces and global locations.1 They are meant to provoke anthropologists (even those who might be utterly

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1353/anq.2004.0042

Cites

66 of 66 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 1 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Interpretationreasoning
    § Abstract

    Intellectual property law and norms have permeated everyday life so thoroughly that they now appear easily comparable to the complex swine-centric taboos of the Porgerans.

    “Intellectual property law and norms have invaded everyday life to such an extent that they now seem easily comparable to the complex swine-centric taboos of the Porgerans.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 5
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 7

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingreasoning
    § Abstract

    The differences explored in the papers are both great and small, but none align easily with geographical location or classic definitions of cultural difference.

    “The differences explored here are great and small, but none of them map easily onto geographical location or any classic definitions of cultural difference.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given
    § Abstract

    Since 1998, free software and open source have become serious academic topics across disciplines and flashpoints for discussions extending beyond software and copyright.

    “Since 1998 free software and open source have become serious topics of study across the disciplines and, as this collection evidences, have become flashpoints for discussions that extend far beyond the issues of software and copyright.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § Abstract

    These differences instead concern human activities that are inherently technical and have long been global.

    “Instead they concern a host of human activities that are inherently technical and long-since global.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

    Interpretationnone given
    § Abstract

    The connections made here to taboo, norms, propriety, exchange, and sovereignty do more than merely pay lip service to anthropology's past concerns.

    “The connections here to taboo, norms, issues of propriety, exchange, or sovereignty do more than pay lip service to anthropology's past concerns.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Existing research relevant to observing these new phenomena spans business and management theory, economics, legal scholarship, and psychology.

    “The existing research ready to greet an observer of these new phenomena ranges from business and management theory to economics to legal scholarship to psychology. 2”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [2]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisereasoning
    § Abstract

    The question of field-site has dominated late 20th century anthropological discussions.

    “First, the question of field-site has dominated discussions of late 20th century anthropology, both because of changed conditions in the world that render home and away grayer than ever before, and through a concern with methodological innovation in the very process of going, staying, participating and returning.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationnone given
    § Abstract

    The people and practices examined in the papers are significantly relevant to many large and small theoretical issues that have long interested anthropology and social theory.

    “As these papers demonstrate, the people and practices analyzed here have significant relevance to many large and small theoretical issues long of interest in anthropology and social theory more generally.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § Abstract

    Most prominently, these activities involve intellectual property and collective political activism.

    “Most prominently, this means practices concerning intellectual property and collective political activism.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § Abstract

    Taboo can be seen as a system of norms regulating the circulation and expressive use of corporeal bits; in Porgera, this description also applies to the circulation of creative information, software code, and writings in online worlds.

    “So while taboo might be understood as a system of norms governing the circulation and expressive use of corporeal bits and pieceshair, flesh, nails, etc.-in the case of the Porgera, such a description equally makes sense of the activities of the circulation of the creative bits of information, software code, writings created in online worlds”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
9 of 9

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Recently, such talk has detached from software and become common among artists, writers, scientists, NGOs, and activists.

    “More recently, such talk has broken free of its connection to software and become common amongst artists, writers, scientists, NGOs, and activists.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    This talk has given them a new rhetoric and a new set of practices regarding authorship, ownership, expression, speech, law, politics, and technology.

    “It has provided them with not only a new rhetoric, but a new set of practices concerning authorship, ownership, expression, speech, law, politics, and technology.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    To date, proponents and programmers of free software have been among the most vocal and successful in explaining or theorizing it.

    “This issue is especially poignant when one considers that, to date, it has been proponents and programmers of free software themselves who have been among the most vocal and successful in trying to explain or theorize it.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Many hackers tend to propose cultural, psychological, and quasi-scientific explanations for their own behavior.

    “When they aren't programming, and sometimes even when they are, many hackers evince an affinity for proposing explanations-cultural, psychological and quasi-scientific-for their own behavior.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Online worlds increasingly involve real money and the granting of real intellectual property rights.

    “What makes the example of online worlds significant here is that they come, more and more, to involve the use of real money and the granting of real intellectual property rights.”
5 of 5

Cites

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2 of the 68 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

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Related

Authors
Kelty, C. M.
Affiliations
Rice University (US)
Corresponding author
Kelty, Christopher M
ORCID
Kelty, Christopher M
Venue
Anthropological Quarterly
Publisher
Project MUSE
Published
2004-06
Volume
77
Issue
3
Pages
499-506
ISSN
  • 0003-5491 (ISSN-L)
  • 1534-1518
DOI
10.1353/anq.2004.0042
OpenAlex
W2071557349
Semantic Scholar
1bd610f533acfc84cdba704fa6a1919aa8aa5ee9
Cited by
45
References
68
Citations by year
2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 4
FWCI
8.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
public-domain
Locations
  • Anthropological Quarterly (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • Project Muse (Johns Hopkins University) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
  • eVols (University of Hawaii) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Science Applications › Open Source Software Innovations
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Intellectual Property Rights and Media
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Copyright and Intellectual Property
Keywords
free software, open source software, copyright, intellectual property, software licensing, authorship, ownership, cultural criticism

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