Lecture Series "Law, Literature and the Market"

The lecture series "Law, Literature and the Market" illustrates the interplay of law, economy, and literature in the book market. This lecture series is organised by the subproject A02 "Literature and the Market" of the CRC 1385.

It is a widespread assumption that the market and literature are polar opposites and cannot be reconciled. Literature is often seen as something abstract, and culturally 'valuable', operating far from the logics of law and the market. In fact, the book market only functions with legal and economic framework conditions, which in turn also shape literature itself. Literature is a good that is produced, marketed, traded, and regulated in the market, and yet the special status of literature remains a central issue, as can be seen in the book price fixing in Germany and other countries (e.g. the Net Book Agreement in the UK, which has already been repealed).

Renowned guest lecturers from all over the world deal with these contexts from their respective research perspectives and offer exciting insights into the manifold aspects of literature's overlaps with both law and the market. In subsequent discussions, the topics will be explored in greater depth and open questions clarified.