The History of Literature 723 The Moral Rights of Authors (with Mira T Sundara Rajan) | My Last Book with Radha Vatsal
Aug 7, 2025
Mira T. Sundara Rajan, an expert in international copyright law and author of 'The Moral Rights of Authors and Artists,' joins to discuss the urgent need for moral rights protections in the face of technological advancements. She addresses the complexities artists encounter regarding control over their works and the contrasting views on copyright law. Mystery novelist Radha Vatsal shares her choice for the last book she would ever read, adding a personal touch to the conversation on legacy and identity in literature.
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The Poet and the Blacksmith Example
- A poet hears his garbled song sung by a blacksmith and disrupts the blacksmith's workshop as a protest.
- This story illustrates the intuitive concept of moral rights: authors should control how their work is presented.
What Are Moral Rights?
- Moral rights are part of copyright focusing less on economic benefits and more on authorship recognition and integrity.
- They protect an author's personal connection and integrity over their work, separate from mere payment.
Moral Rights and Copyright History
- Moral rights are codified widely around the world except notably weak in the United States.
- Authors historically fought for rights beyond censorship, culminating in the Statute of Anne in 1710.
