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Urban Commons: Building a 'Communal System' of the Future.

Authors :
Łapniewska, Zofia
Source :
Social Policy Issues / Problemy Polityki Społecznej; 2021, Vol. 55 Issue 1, p48-74, 27p
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

An increasing number of communities successfully governing urban commons could be seen as a strong move towards 'delinking' from homo economicus myth that still remains at the centre of the capitalist economic assumptions. This paper, theoretical in nature, presents an alternative, a preferred scenario of a future 'communal system' as a vision of society built on different values than homo economicus conduct, values that are distinctive for urban commons today, especially in peripheral countries. These are: responsibility, networking, cooperation, caring for others, reciprocity, self-help, continuous learning and sharing. The given three examples of urban commons: Torre David, SE VIOME and Bangkok Noi urban gardens -- that illustrate such system in the present -- share these values and therefore contribute to social change. Although commons are still at the margins of economic considerations, while corporations through the processes of neo-colonisation dominate the centre, a future transformation into a 'communal system' is possible, as posited by the postcolonial theory and the actor-network-theory (ANT) discussed in this article. Vision of an economic system, based on the new communal myth contributes to the emerging field of postcapitalist, post-growth theories arising in the shadow of a climate catastrophe and other upcoming crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16401808
Volume :
55
Issue :
1
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Social Policy Issues / Problemy Polityki Społecznej
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
156517436
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.31971/pps/146119