International Commons Conference - 2010

The first International Commons Conference, co-organized by the Heinrich Boll Foundation and the Commons Strategies Group, took place in Berlin November 1 and 2, 2010.

In this Wiki, we are collecting ongoing working documents and information about participants, sessions, thoughts and results.

• Interpretative Summary of the International Commons Conference, by David Bollier [1]

Other general material:

• • For basic general info, see here: Constructing a Commons-Based Policy Platform
  • For the conceptual outline of the conference see: Some_Thoughts_on_the_Commons
  • There is also an official site of the conference, with many background articles
  • Agenda/program: http://www.boell.de/economysocial/economy/economy-agenda-international-commons-conference-10456.html

• subpages of this page that facilitate documentation and discussion:

• Participants
• Steering Comittee And Support Group
• Project Visits
• Results from World Cafe Tables
• Reports from Workshops
• Notes from the Final Plenary

• Specific page to gather Participant Reactions to International Commons Conference with following items:

• • Abundance_of_Food_vs_the_Abundance_of_Recipes Contribution from Brian Davey of Feasta, reacting to the Berlin Commons Conference tension between Abundance and Scarcity.
  • Brigitte Kratzwald on the Notion of Time to Change

Introduction

Basic Documents

• Some Thoughts on the Commons: Prepared by the Steering Committee, International Commons Conference, to stimulate discussion and reflection

• Beatriz Busaniche [2]: Conferencia Internacional sobre Bienes Comunes: reporte en español

Press Coverage

• Richard Poynder has done a profile with extended interview with Silke Helfrich on her understanding of the commons and the purpose of the conference, via

http://poynder.blogspot.com/2010/10/silke-helfrich-on-commons-and-upcoming.html

• Excerpt: Silke Helfrich on the International Commons Conference in Berlin
• Photo gallery

Post-Conference

In English:

• Neal Gorenflo at Shareable: Notes from the International Commons Conference

• Leo Burke at Commons Knowledge Alliance: The Growing Voice of the Global Commons

• Jay Walljasper (OnTheCommons): Potato Commons & the Power of Standing Up. Report from a groundbreaking international conference in Berlin

• Brian Davey: The Abundance of Food vs the Abundance of Recipes: free culture abundance advocates have a lot to offer, but should take into account the real dangers of coming material scarcity

• Michel Bauwens: The Emergence of a Global Commons Movement, Year Zero

• Christian Siefkes (keimform.de): Memorable quotes from the Berlin Commons Conference

• Stefan Meretz (keimform.de):
  • The Generative Logic of the Commons — Slidecast
  • Ten Theses About Global Commons Movement

• George Pór at Commons Knowledge Alliance: Berlin Remix

In German:

• Andrea Goetzke (Netzpolitik): International Commons Conference in Berlin

• Silke Helfrich (CommonsBlog):
  • Den Commons eine Stimme geben
  • Die Welt verändern: Das geht leicht aber langsam
  • Gemeingüter als politische Leitlinie? Stimmen aus drei Kontinenten
  • International Commons Conference: DANKE für eine „tigerisch peerige“ Konferenz
  • Important: Mit Big Society haben Commons nix gemein!

• Helmut Höge (blogs.taz.de): Gemeineigentum-Allmende-Common (see last part of article)

• Lara Mallien (Oya-Blog): Internationale Konferenz über Gemeingüter

• Markus Euskirchen (who-owns-the-world.org): Berlin Commons Conference

• Stefan Meretz (keimform.de): Zehn Thesen zur globalen Commons-Bewegung

• Farah Lenser: Gemeingüter: Eine Bewegung entdeckt sich

In Portuguese:

• Gabriela Agustini (Cutura Digital, Brazil): A Cultura Digital Brasileira na Conferência sobre o ‘commons’ em Berlim

• Richard Poynder interviews Silke Helfrich: Silke Helfrich apresenta a Conferência Interacional sobre o Commons: Em busca de um movimento mais amplo

In Spanish:

• Beatriz Busaniche: Report in Spanish Download the report in .pdf

Videotaped Presentations

All videos are presented via this consolidated link at http://www.boell.de/economysocial/economy/economy-commons-10451.html

1. Roberto Verzola and Stefan Meretz on the Generative Logic of the Commons‎
2. Multilateralism 2.0‎;
3. Philippe Aigrain on the Commons as a Challenge for Classic Economic Patterns‎
4. Michel Bauwens: an Overview of the Commons as Transformation Paradigm‎;
5. Ruth Meinzen-Dick: an Overview of the Commons as Transformation Paradigm‎

In other languages:

1. Alberto Acosta presenta una ponencia sobre el ITT. Parte 1
2. Alberto Acosta presenta una ponencia sobre el ITT. Parte 2

The Remix the Commons Video Series

1. Silke Helfrich on Framing the Commons
2. David Bollier on Framing the Commons

Post-post Conference Updates

Italian-language translations

• Alcune riflessioni sui Commons

• Scarsità ed abbondanza: Abbondanza di cibo contro abbondanza di ricette. di Brian Davey – 17 novembre 2010. Contributo di Brian Davey di Feasta, in risposta alla tensione al Congresso di Berlino sui Commons tra Abbondanza e Scarsità, sottotitoli di Franz Nahrada.

• Scarsità ed abbondanza II (dibattito). Dibattito sul testo “Abbondanza di cibo contro abbondanza di ricette”, con commenti di Michel Bauwens, Franz Nahrada e Wofgang Hoeschele al documento di Brian Davey del 17 novembre 2010. Michel Bauwens: Come l’abbondanza immateriale può assistere un’economia stabile

Policy Proposals by Topic

Introduction and Generalities

• Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Text of keynote lecture: Commons as a Transformation Paradigm

Contributions:

1. Developing the Meta Services for the Eco-Social Economy, draft proposed by Feasta writers, Ireland/UK
2. Framework for Augmenting the Collective Intelligence of the Ecosystem of Commons-based Initiatives, George Por, Community Intelligence
3. Infrastructural Commons for Sustainability, edited by Emer O'Siochru and David Korowitz. EENGO Submission to the (Irish) National Sustainable Development Strategy. Final Report January 2008.
4. Securing the Commons. By Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Esther Mwangi, and Stephan Dohrn. CAPRi Policy Brief 4. [3]
5. Giovanna Ricoveri: Commons vs Commodities. Paper by Giovanna Ricoveri for the 13th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC), “Sustaining Commons: Sustaining our Future” 10-14 Jan. 2011, Hyderabad, India.
6. Hazel Henderson, Defending the Global Commons

On the Economy of the Commons:

• Pierre Calame: Different Categories of Goods and Services and their Systems of Governance [ http://bases.basedefiches.net:8080/ire/docs/chapitre2.2.pdf]

Topics and Policy Domains

Commons Governance

• Workshop notes provided by Dr. Stephan Krall: The Commons and their Governance as paradigm for the 21st century.

• The Commons Law Project (CLP), dedicated to reinventing the law and governance of the ecological commons and thereby operationalize the human right to a clean, healthy, ecologically balanced, and sustainable environment. A project by Burns Weston and David Bollier

Cultural Commons

• “Charter for Innovation, Creativity and Access to Knowledge” (http://www.fcforum.net). The Charter was signed by more than 200 international organizations and used in policy making at the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), the European Council of Ministers of Culture, and the Spanish Law for Sustainable Culture, among others.
• Constructing Commons in the Cultural Environment (Michael Madison, Brett M. Frischmann & Katherine J. Strandburg)95 Cornell L. Rev. 657 (2010) http://ssrn.com/abstract=1265793 and a collection of papers discussing that work at http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/research/cornell-law-review/Volume-95-Number-4.cfm
• The Complexity of Commons (Michael Madison, Brett M. Frischmann & Katherine J. Strandburg)95 Cornell L. Rev. 839 (2010) http://ssrn.com/abstract=1607701
• The University as Constructed Cultural Commons (Michael Madison, Brett M. Frischmann & Katherine J. Strandburg)30 Wash. U. J. Law & Pol’y 365 (2009) http://ssrn.com/abstract=1256090
• Internet & Création: comment reconnaître les échanges sur internet en finançant la création, Philippe Aigrain, InLibroVeritas, 2008
• La culture en communs, Entretien de Philippe Aigrain avec Aude Delalande, Philippe Mangeot et Victoire Patouillard], Vacarme, 81, 2010
• Ethical foundation of knowledge as a common. Rainer Kuhlen. Preprint Vortrag Seoul 8.10.2010 (text: http://bit.ly/b85rUO)
• Towards a commons-based copyright. Rainer Kuhlen. IFLA World Conference Gothenburg 14.8.2010 (PP: http://bit.ly/9aa3Zg)
• Report: Imagining a Traditional Knowledge Commons. A community approach to sharing traditional knowledge for non-commercial research. Natural Justice and IDLO, 2009. By Elan Abrell et al. [4]
• Report: - Implementing a Traditional Knowledge Commons. Opportunities and Challenges. Developments following the Traditional Knowledge Commons Workshop, December 2009, Cape Town, South Africa. Natural Justice, 2010.

In Brazil:

• Open Consultation on the Brazilian Copyright Reform Proposal - English version
• Reserva Cultural ("Cultural Reserve"), a community-based project for sharing of cultural works, in São Paulo: http://www.gpopai.usp.br/wiki/index.php/Reserva>, video
• Volker Grassmuch: A Copyright Exception for Monetizing File-Sharing. A proposal for balancing user freedom and author remuneration in the Brazilian copyright law reform, 19. März 2010, http://www.vgrass.de/?p=193

Healthcare

• Krikorian G. (2009), The politics of patents: conditions of implementation of public health policy in Thailand. In S. Haunss and K. C. Shadlen (éd.), The Politics of Intellectual Property: Contestation over the Ownership, Use, and Control of Knowledge and Information (Edward Elgar, UK), 29-55.

• Krikorian G. (2009), New trends in IP protection and health issues in FTA negotiations. In B. Coriat (éd.), The Political Economy of HIV/AIDS in Developing Countries. TRIPS, Public Health Systems and Free Access (Edward Elgar, UK) 52-77.

• Krikorian G. & Szymkowiak D. (2007), Intellectual property rights in the making: the evolution of intellectual property. Provisions in US free trade agreements and access to medicine. The journal of world intellectual property, 10 (5), 388-418.

• Denis Postle on the Psychological Commons

Earth and Climate Commons

1. Cap and Share: A Fair Way to Cut Greenhouse Emissions [5], written by members of Feasta, Ireland/UK.
2. Global Climate Trust, written by members of Feasta, Ireland/UK
3. The Viable Systems Model and Climate Governance; written by members of Feasta, Ireland/UK
4. Against Ecological and Information Enclosures : Towards a Convergence of “Commons”. A Note on a Workshop in New Delhi, December 13 2007’. Jai Sen (Cacim 2008) [6]
5. “Cllimate Change and Intergenerational Justice: Foundational Reflections,” 9 Vermont Journal of Environmental Law 375 (2009). Burns Weston

Currency or Monetary Commons

1. Liquidity Network [7]: Mutual credit commons written by members of Feasta, Ireland/UK
2. Intervention by Margrit Kennedy, Ludwig Schuster: Sustainable Financial Markets as a Global Commons
3. Stefan Meretz on the question of transition and the role of open money: http://www.keimform.de/2009/the-question-of-transition-and-the-role-of-money/
4. Podcast interview with Thomas H. Greco, Jr. on the Credit Commons [8]
5. Text: Transforming Finance Group's Call Recognizes Finance as a Global Commons
6. Ongoing research: Dyndy on the website http://www.dyndy.net

Infrastructure Commons

1. Developing the Meta Services for the Eco-Social Economy, draft written by members of Feasta, Ireland/UK
2. Applying abundance to cities, http://shareable.net/blog/how-to-create-abundant-cities, by Wolfgang Hoeschele

Land, Food and Water Commons

1. Food and Water Watch, USA, represented by Maude Barlow
2. Land Value Tax, written by members of Feasta, Ireland/UK
3. Biting the Bullet: How to Secure Access to Drylands Resources for Multiple Users. By Esther Mwangi and Stephan Dohrn. CAPRi Working Paper 47. [9]

CCRI website has links to the IASC conference and the 8 National Seminars,

1. with 8th seminar on Common Land, http://www.ccri.ac.uk/Events/8thseminarcommonland.htm
2. the 'heritage and landscape' category, e.g. http://www.ccri.ac.uk/Projects/HeritageandLandscape/Current/Assessingdevelopingprinciplesdeliverynationalbiodiversitytargets.htm

Brazil:

1. Jean Pierre Leroy's chapter about territorial management by Amazonian communities, in the book Genes, Bytes and Emissions [10] in Spanish

UK:

1. the Commons Act 2006. Text of the law is at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/26/pdfs/ukpga_20060026_en.pdf
2. legal aspects of common land approach in the UK at DEFRA: http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/protected/commonland/index.htm
3. Useful summary on common land in England and Wales: see http://www.naturenet.net/law/commonland.html
4. Examples of local councils: the Federation to Cumbria Commoners and the Dartmoor Commons Council.
5. OSS (Open Spaces Society) either: http://www.oss.org.uk/

(Commons-based) Taxation

1. Land Value Tax, written by members of Feasta, Ireland/UK (video

Knowledge/Science Commons

• Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities [11]
• Berlin 8 Open Access Conference [12]
• Coalition for Action "Copyright for Education and Research" [13]
• Workshop on Knowledge commons in the World Forum Science and Democracy

Videos of the workshop

Valérie Peugeot VECAM France

Amit Sengupta, AIPSN, Inde

Pablo Ortellado GPOPAI, Universidade Saõ Paulo

James Love Knowledge Ecology International

Pascale de Robert, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, France & Amazonie

Viviana Muñoz Tellez, The South Centre

Discussion - Reactions of the panélistes

• SCIENCES ET DÉMOCRATIE : La leçon du Tapajos video

In Brazil:

• Collaborative Civil-rights based Regulatory Framework for Internet in Brazil - The IGF Workshop

Conference Documentation

see header of this page

• Berlin_Commons_Conference/WorldCafe
• Reports from Workshops
• Notes from the Final Plenary

General Documentation

Peer to Peer Urbanism

From Dr. Nikos Salingaros of the Gruppo Salingaros:

1. http://www.greekarchitects.gr/en/architectural-review/peer-to-peer-urbanism-id1973
2. http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/urban-seeding-and-the-city-as-computer/2008/09/08
3. http://p2pfoundation.net/Peer-to-Peer_Themes_and_Urban_Priorities_for_the_Self-organizing_Society

Video

1. Emer O'Siochru on Reclaiming the Commons [14] : addresses destruction of 'the commons' - the vital but undefined resources that sustain life and civilisation that are under threat form the current system. It offered ideas about how they can be redefined, given legal protection within the market economy
2. Dan Sullivan on the Land Value Tax as a Community Development Tool