What accounts for the persistence and spread of “commoning,” the irrepressible desire of people to collaborate and share to meet everyday needs? How are the more successful projects governed? And why are so many people embracing the commons as a powerful strategy for building a fair, humane and Earth-respecting social order?

To explore these questions, David Bollier and Silke Helfrich edited an anthology of fifty original essays, Patterns of Commoning, that probes the ancient social form of the commons, which has survived for centuries, constantly renewing itself.

The 2015 book profiles dozens of fascinating commons around the world from indigenous agriculture and community forests to open-source farm equipment and alternative currencies. A special series of essays explores the inner dynamics of commoning – its ethics, social practices, ontologies and worldview – to explain why the building of new worlds starts from within.

Find out more:

• Patterns of Commoning Website
• Patterns of Commoning is Now Published!