A comparative analysis, as opposed to a merely descriptive or historical review, may
provide a more in-depth and more holistic understanding of divergent systems, but also deepens
proposals and arguments stemming from that analysis. In other words, “[e]xamining cases of
legal appropriations and the kinds of cultural meanings and social transformations that result
provides a more dynamic and agentive way of understanding the linkage between law and
culture.”
In this section we draw upon comparative theories and methods to provide what we
believe is a more holistic understanding of China’s copyright laws. We also hope to provide a
deeper understanding as to how and why new copyright protection regimes are emerging around
the world, and how they might be able to contribute to the broader goal of developing a more