Patterns of Commoning
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Average rating3.5
15
Ratings1
Average rating3.5
What accounts for the persistence and spread of "commoning," the irrepressible desire of people to collaborate and share to meet everyday needs? How are the more successful projects governed? And why are so many people embracing the commons as a powerful strategy for building a fair, humane and Earth-respecting social order? In more than fifty original essays, Patterns of Commoning addresses these questions and probes the inner complexities of this timeless social paradigm. The book surveys some of the most notable, inspiring commons around the world, from alternative currencies and open design and manufacturing, to centuries-old community forests and co-learning commons - and dozens of others. David Bollier (www.bollier.org) is an American author, activist and independent scholar who has studied the commons for nearly twenty years. Silke Helfrich (commonsblog.wordpress.com) is a German author and independent activist of the commons who blogs at www.commonsblog.de, and cofounder of the Commons-Institut in Germany. With Michel Bauwens, Bollier and Helfrich are cofounders of the Common Strategies Group. For more information, go to the book's website, Patterns of Commoning (www.patternsofcommoning.org)
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this is the most important stuff in the world, and this book can serve as a fine jumping off point for further study. I prefer bollier’s Think Like A Commoner, though, as a focused look at the topic. The early chapters of this are great as they provide a real pattern language; that format drops off tho and it becomes more of a hodgepodge of stories and essays, which i found disappointing. Yes the world is alive, no we can’t survive as commodities under capitalism, yes there are alternatives— but how? Desperately we need to get clearer on how, because it’s hard. I am resolved to keep looking.
