In the annals of international copyright history—by and large synonymous with the Berne Union and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works from 1886—translation occupies a contested space. From the end of the nineteenth century until today, translation has highlighted the multifaceted legal dimensions associated with the inherent instability of cultural works, the proliferation of authorship, and the tensions between major and minor languages, producers and users, import and export. Set in the first era of international copyright relations, between 1886 and 1971, Cosmopolitan Copyright tells a story of international power relations in the making, practices of cultural transformation, the changing face of global governance, and the limits and possibilities of authorship vis-à-vis the law.
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"This book is a well-written and welcome addition to the growing literature about copyright and cultural expression [...]. Of special interest [...] are Wirtén’s international perspective, her emphasis on the value of history for understanding social categories such as cultural expression and so-called intellectual property, and her wide-ranging view of what constitutes knowledge. Administrators and practitioners in institutions of memory such as libraries, archives, and museums will find suggestions for their professional practice based in historical and theoretically informed arguments; cultural scholars and theorists will find arguments of value to their work, especially because of her deep and comparative understanding of copyright and other “intellectual property” regimes; and copyright and information policy scholars will find Terms of Use useful because of Wirtén’s expertise in cultural theory, comparative politics, and cultural history." Philip Doty in Libraries and the Cultural Record 45:3 (2010). For a full review, click here.
On October 28, 2008, David Bollier posted a review of Terms of Use on the On the Commons blog, where he wrote: "Now that scholars have established the value of the public domain, mapped its contours and suggested new ways to conceptualize it (e.g., let’s lose the spatial metaphors), it is refreshing to see “public domain studies” advance in new directions. In her new book, Terms of Use: Negotiating the Jungle of the Intellectual Commons, Eva Hemmungs Wirtén offers up an internationally minded, interdisciplinary meditation on the “intellectual commons.” Wirtén, a professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, is developing a sophisticated new frontier of public domain scholarship." He ends his review by concluding: "Terms of Use is highly readable and even entertaining. Its focus on the public domain in history, and on the clashes between North and South on IP matters, is thoughtful, provocative and long overdue."
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The most recent review of No Trespassing (2004) is by J.G. Matthews in the Spring 2006 issue of Libraries and Culture (41:2, 2006). Two brief quotes: "[...] Hemmungs Wirtén's breadth of inquiry is remarkable. Her ability to express clearly this complex topic, particularly its formidable legal aspects, is all the more impressive considering her academic background, which is in literature and information science. [...] this book invites readers to consider timely, complex cultural and legal issues in lucid, respectful prose. No Trespassing deserves a wide readership, including students of cultural studies, publishing history, and new media.