What tools and methods are needed to support the commons?
[Translation : EPALE France]
From 18 to 22 November 2024, a five-day transnational seminar was held in Cluny, France, as part of the Ecosystème des Communs project supported by the ERASMUS+ programme. The event brought together 32 participants from 26 different organisations and 7 countries. The aim of this event was to share methodologies, explore storytelling practices and discover the context of four commons ecosystems located in Florence, Paris, Naples and Toulouse, where the next stage in the project’s activities will continue: the Commons Labs.
A vast array of tools to strengthen the commons and commoning
The seminar took place mainly in the form of workshops, encouraging peer learning. The mornings were devoted to an introduction to methodologies, while the afternoons were spent on preparatory work for future Commons Labs and sessions on storytelling in all its forms: graphic, written, oral and performative.
The central focus of the seminar was the presentation of a number of useful tools and methodologies to support the development of the commons. These detailed presentations took the form of practical workshops. The following five tools were studied:
1. Patterns of Commoning
Presented by the Commons Institute (Germany), the Patterns of Commoning are models or diagrams that describe current and effective practices in the management of commons. These models help communities to identify and implement proven solutions for organising themselves or managing their collective resources.
2. Tools for representing the community economy
These tools, presented by the Community Economy Network (based in Denmark), can be used to represent and analyse monetary and non-monetary economic flows within a community. They help to visualise how resources are created, shared and used, and to identify opportunities for strengthening the community economy.
3. The Public-Commons Partnership model
Designed and tested by members of In-Abundance, researchers in the UK and at IGOP at the University of Barcelona, this model describes how communities can collaborate on an equal footing with public institutions to manage common resources. It highlights the benefits and challenges of these partnerships and suggests strategies for making them more effective.
4. Process Work
Process Work tools, presented by Solidarius Italia, are approaches to facilitation and conflict resolution that help groups to work together more harmoniously. These methods are particularly useful for managing group dynamics and encouraging open and respectful communication.
5. Artefacts for collective action
Presented by Art & Facts and Remix the Commons (France), these methods focus on the creation of fun and educational tools to mobilise communities and raise awareness. The “Cards in Common” game is one example. It uses cards to facilitate discussion and collective planning. It will be used in the Commons Lab at La Chapelle in Paris.
This initial range of tools for the commons was later joined by counter-mapping. Developed by the Orangotango group (Germany), counter-mapping is a participatory mapping method that enables communities to create their own spatial representations. This approach is useful for visualising and analysing local resources and issues in a way that reflects the perspectives and priorities of subordinate or less-recognised members of the community.
An inspiring place of welcome
The seminar was hosted by the Maison des Utopies en Expérimentation (MUE) at the Domaine Saint Laurent in Burgundy, near Cluny, France.
The MUE is a self-managed space. The house, which can accommodate around thirty people, is nestled in an estate owned by Terre de Liens and run by a collective farming organisation practising organic agriculture. The house is run by a group of French associations. It serves as a base for their activities and can be made available as a venue for groups. The MUE is a place where an internal economy and democracy are developing based on a commons approach and on sociocracy. This model of governance allows for collective and participatory management, encouraging the involvement of all members in decision-making processes. It is an ideal venue for a seminar such as the Ecosystèmes des Communs. This magnificent setting allowed participants to experience self-management and discover an innovative economy and internal democracy.
Mobilising tools for the commons
The range of tools and practices studied at the seminar was designed to support the development of commons as ecosystems at the four Commons Labs taking place in France and Italy. In Florence, Mondeggi is building an ecosystem around the issues of urban agriculture and the collective management of agricultural land. In Paris, it is food issues that define the ecosystem in the La Chapelle neighbourhood. Naples is the crucible of a mobilisation for urban commons and initiatives to revitalise public spaces. Finally, in Toulouse, the Commons Lab will focus on what it means to inhabit a place.
The Commons Labs are an integral part of the Écosystème des Communs project and were a central feature of the seminar in Cluny. These labs are designed as observation and experimentation courses that enable participants to familiarise themselves with the methodologies and tools through their experimentation by commoners in the context of each of the ecosystems.
The aim of each Commons Lab is to explore and analyse the specific dynamics and challenges of a commons ecosystem in one of the four towns or districts concerned. They provide an opportunity to experiment with methodologies and test their relevance in supporting commoning initiatives and the dynamics of the commons ecosystem. This support takes the form of strengthening participants’ capacities to support and develop initiatives for sharing and co-designing programmes and strategies tailored to their local needs.
During the seminar, participants worked on their preparation through creative activities, providing testimonials about their experiences and challenges, enabling them to better understand local contexts. All this work resulted in the production of a rich iconography, which was itself based on a storytelling workshop inspired by the experience of the UK-based association Future Natures. This workshop raised participants’ awareness of the need to amplify narratives about the commons so that they have more impact in bringing about a more equitable society from both a social and environmental point of view.
Finally, as we will see in the next stages of the project, by weaving together these dynamics – support for the commons and reflection on the narratives that are created around them – the seminar will have fully played its role and laid solid foundations for the powerful development of Ecosystems of the Commons.
