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A New Vision of the Commons

on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 00:03

This section focuses on a new and emerging vision of the Global Commons. What is happening and where they are going.

Chapters

  • Strengthen the Commons Now: Silke Helfrich is a leading commons activist in Europe.  In 2008 and 2009 Helfrich worked in conjunction with the Heinrich Boll Foundation in Berlin to convene discussion groups with leading European advocates of the commons.  This manifesto is the result.  It was originally written in German.
  • Viral SpiralOpen source software, creative commons licensing, and a growing digital knowledge commons are creating a lively and innovative set of business possibilities.  This chapter from David Bollier's Viral Spiral provides an excellent overview of key trends.
  • People Sharing Resources: In this seminal article from Kosmos Journalin the Autumn of 2009, economist, author, and policy advisor James Quilligan introduces important concepts related to the future of the commons including co-governance, co-production, social charters, and commons trusts.  This and the following article require careful study.
  • The Commons of Mind, Life and Matter: Quilligan extends his basic thesis in this Kosmos article published in May 2010.  He is offering a new framework for both commerce and public policy--what he calls a metalogue on the global commons.  This is a landmark article in the commons literature.