Publishing and Intellectual Property Rights

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between publishing and intellectual property rights from a legal and cultural perspective. It explains the nature of intellectual property and the main categories of protected rights, with particular emphasis on copyright as the principal framework for protecting literary, artistic, and scientific works. The study discusses copyright in light of international conventions, especially the Berne Convention, and distinguishes between the author’s economic rights, which allow material exploitation of a work, and moral rights, which preserve attribution, integrity, publication control, modification, and withdrawal. It also addresses the duration of protection, limitations and exceptions to copyright, including free use and compulsory licensing, and connects these issues to the enforcement of rights amid rapid technological development and the circulation of digital works. The research further analyzes intellectual property protection in the Arab world through the lens of the TRIPS Agreement and international and bilateral trade arrangements, highlighting their impact on Arab legislation and the need for balanced policies that protect creativity while supporting development priorities and access to knowledge.