Chaire Bien commun de l'Institut Catholique de Paris
Imported and translated from the French P2P Foundation wiki (wikifr, May 2026 archive) as part of consolidating French-original content into the English wiki. Machine-assisted translation - please review.
Source : https://www.icp.fr/recherche/chaires-et-instituts/chaire-bien-commun-45648.kjsp?
Created in 2016, the Commons Chair of the Research Unit "Religion, Culture and Society" (EA 7403) aims to ground the concept of commons rationally and interdisciplinary (philosophy, theology, economic and social sciences), as well as to evaluate its relevance in political, economic, social, and environmental domains.
Activities of the Commons Chair
The Commons Chair, which benefits from financial support by the Scottish Catholic Foundation, organizes an annual colloquium leading to a publication of proceedings in the Proceedings of the Commons Chair.
Inaugural Colloquium (November 17-18, 2016, ICP): "Commons: Urgencies and Challenges of Hope".
Second Colloquium (April 5-6, 2018, ICP): "Ecological Challenges in the Light of Commons".
Embodiment of ICP's Mission
The Commons Chair embodies the mission of the Institut Catholique de Paris, which seeks to serve society and individuals through its various training structures and its Research Unit “Religion, Culture and Society” (EA 7403), contributing to the scientific interpretation of contemporary major questions.
This mission is rooted in the social doctrine of the Church, where commons is a cardinal concept. Vatican II defines it as "the sum total of conditions of social life which allow groups and their members more fully and easily to attain their perfection" (Gaudium et spes, n°26).
Commons Today
A constant in the social doctrine of the Church, the commons is an ancient concept of philosophical origin that has gained renewed attention. It reappears both in scientific fields and public debate around issues related to sustainable development and corporate social responsibility.
The concept of commons remains controversial. Discussions question its semantic consistency and relevance: does an old notion with diverse or even divergent meanings, criticized during the modern era, have the means to respond to contemporary world challenges?
An Interdisciplinary Approach
The goal of the Commons Chair is to shed light on this inquiry based on an interdisciplinary approach (philosophy, theology, economic and social sciences) and by grounding scientific reflection in organizational reality (institutions, businesses, associations, etc.).
The aim is to break down disciplinary and sectoral silos, which are not conducive to addressing the challenges of a complex world. The goal is not merely to deploy expertise but to renew analytical frameworks through dialogue between rationalities and experiences.
Various preparatory research works have been published within the framework of ICP's priority innovation project on commons (2013-2016):
- Lasida E., Tardivel E. (eds.), "Christianity and Commons", Transversalités, n° 131, 2014
- "Christianity and Commons (II)", Transversalités, n° 138, 2016
- "Liberalism and Commons", Transversalités, supplément n° 4, 2016