No two commons are exactly alike. Each one is a unique blend of a resource, a community, and the rules they create together. These commons grow and evolve based on their circumstances, the needs of the people involved, their history, and the creativity of those participating. Because of this, it can be difficult to classify commons—they’re as diverse as the people and resources they connect.
Still, we can find patterns that help us understand where commoning is happening. These shared characteristics allow us to identify different spheres, or realms, of commoning. In this section, you’ll explore five key areas where commoning is transforming relationships between people and resources: eco-stewardship of nature, modern land commons, urban commons, social commitment pooling, and digital commons. Each sphere offers a unique perspective on how communities are coming together to build sustainable and cooperative futures.
At the end of Subtopic 4.2 Spheres of commoning, you should be able to:
discuss how eco-stewardship of nature by humans can protect and regenerate Earth’s life-support systems, particularly in the context of subsistence commons
discuss the role of community land trusts and community supported agriculture in widening access to land for social and ecological benefit
explain how urban commoning can support relocalisation in urban communities
discuss how various forms and tools of social commitment pooling can help meet human needs and support relocalisation
explain how commoning creates and shares shared digital resources and how digital tools can support commoning in other spheres, as well as the challenges of commoning with digital tools