Video panel exploring questions of why decentralization is relevant. The session addressed this topic with examples from projects like D-CENT and Pump.io, as well as the digital social innovation ecosystem in Europe. There was also a presentation about the European strategy for Collective Awareness Platforms and distributed infrastructures. Featuring David Rozas, Loretta Anania, Irina Bolychevsky,… Continue reading
Date archives "May 2016"
Towards a New Social Contract for Health and Sustainability: An Introduction
The following article, originally published in Enlivening Edge, is the first in a series of 7 looking at health and healthcare from a commons perspective. You can find the rest of the series at Enlivening Edge by searching for ‘Henk Hadders’, its author. The Social Contract between Market, State and the Commons is broken. Government… Continue reading
Do the Chambers of Commons need to emulate the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to better counter-balance it?
“The two could become rivals on many issues — but commons chambers should not be designed simply as contrarian mirror-like opponents of commerce chambers. The commons chambers have a more distinctive long-range challenge on which to focus: the rise of +N. (networks)” Excerpted from David Ronfeldt, in the context of his TIMN theory (tribes, institutions,… Continue reading
Essay of the Day: In Praise of Deficits
* Article: In Praise of Deficit: Public Money for Sustainability and Social Justice Paper presented to AHE conference July 2015 Mary Mellor, From the Abstract: “Conventional notions of public money as public expenditure based on taxation of privately created wealth will be critiqued. Public money will be defined as the creation of public currency free… Continue reading
Why share the planet’s resources? Let the children explain…
Unlike many politicians and business leaders, children as young as seven are quick to recognise that the principle of sharing holds the key to addressing pressing global issues such as poverty and inequality – and that governments should put these concerns at the very top of their agendas. The principle of sharing is so deeply… Continue reading
When all religions are available to everyone, is that a time of “no religion” ?
Information is Transforming Religious Institutions: The growth of information and communication technologies will disrupt the historic social structure of religions as self-contained communities. A brilliant quote from Shaun Bartone, engaged buddhist activist, taking the evolution of Buddhism as an example: “All the forms of Buddhism that have ever been put into written form (or electronic… Continue reading
CIC’s Catalan Supply Center
My previous four posts centred on several projects associated with the Catalan Integral Cooperative (AureaSocial, MaCUS, CASX and SOM Pujarnol). In this one I would like to share with you my notes on one of the most active CIC committees, known as the CAC. The Central d’Abastiment Catalana (CAC), which means “Catalan Supply Center”, was… Continue reading
P2P Foundation wins 2016 Golden Nica for Digital Communities (Prix Ars Electronica)
What great news – the P2P Foundation has been awarded the 2016 Golden Nica for Digital Communities from Prix Ars Electronica! It’s such a pleasure to share this news with our community – and because “digital community” was the category that we chose for our application, I’d also like to share the video and text… Continue reading
Project Of The Day: Common Accord
When my partners and I wanted to create an LLC, we turned to a friend who is an attorney to help us with proper documentation. If you live in the U.S.A., you may have seen advertisements for corporations like, Legalzoom or Legal Shield. They provide downloadable legal documents, for a price. Granted, the price is… Continue reading
Procomuns Plenary 4: Commons and the City
Note: All Procomuns videos feature simultaneous translation, please switch from left to right channels to change languages. This plenary was filmed at PROCOMUNS, a 3 day event which was held in Barcelona in March, 2016 to discuss commons-oriented approaches to public policy, peer production and the commons collaborative economy. Key goals included proposing public policies… Continue reading
Think Global, Print Local and licensing for the Commons
In short: Guerrilla Translation is changing the license for our translation of the book Think Like a Commoner by David Bollier. For this translation we will use the Peer Production License (PPL), a copyFARleft license which allows cooperatives and solidarity-based collectives, but not corporations, to monetize cultural works. This license opens the possibility to print,… Continue reading
Are we moving to a supra-national state form ?
The article below refers to Kojin Karatani’s landmark book, The Structure of World History. Excerpted from Shaun Bartone: “Karatani’s analysis of the four types of exchange is one I largely agree with; but I disagree with his suggestion of how Form C: Capitalist Commodity Exchange, will be superseded. He says it will be superseded by… Continue reading
Panarchy 101: A Primer
“What makes political systems cross over the threshold into parameter transformations? Some breakpoints occur when a technological development enables individuals to engage in previously unimagined activities and collectivities to pursue previously inconceivable policy goals…. a turning point that occurs when the resources or practices of a system can no longer cope with one more increment… Continue reading
MoneyLab#3: Failing Better
“Moneylab#3: Failing Better is scheduled for 1–2 December 2016, again in Amsterdam. A two-day symposium will be accompanied by a series of workshops from art collectives, designers and activists featuring investigations into artist contracts, experiments in digital publishing, artist revenue platforms, p-2-p co-operatives, and experiments in universal basic income. Stay posted for more announcements, calls… Continue reading
Book of the Day: Designing Regenerative Cultures
* Book: Designing Regenerative Cultures. By Daniel Christian Wahl. Triarchy Press, 2016 Below we present a short review and a excerpt from the author: 1. Virginia Coyle’s review: “Living in a text-message culture, Designing Regenerative Cultures is another kind of text message, an essential textbook for our times, filled with resources, references, practices, methods and… Continue reading
Procomuns Plenary 3: What economy? Profit versus sustainability (I)
Video panel exploring questions of what type of economy we want and need. Featuring Albert Cañigueral, Alvaro Solache Rodriguez, Boyd Cohen, and Clara Soler i Roig. Note: All Procomuns videos feature simultaneous translation, please switch from left to right channels to change languages. This plenary was filmed at PROCOMUNS, a 3 day event which was held in… Continue reading