A General Theory of Property

This book proposes a new theory of property that attempts to situate the coexistence of private, communal and common property in the western and post-colonial traditions by considering universal and general aspects of property rights. By considering both tangible/landed property and its practical antithesis in intellectual property, this jurisprudential project seeks to understand how property can be defined and ownership justified within a coherent set of rules. Building upon the work of Hegel and Locke, this book is of value to scholars of land rights, particularly in relation to indigenous people, and the reform of patent and copyright law.