Talk
Intercommoning for Transformative Resilience: Cultural Infrastructures and Commons-Based Futures
Ana Esteves (Esteves, A.);
Event Title
GLAMMONS Final Conference
Year (definitive publication)
2025
Language
English
Country
Greece
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Abstract
This keynote contributes to the thematic area “Networks and Intercommoning” by exploring how networks of diverse commons—cultural, digital, agroecological, and economic—can collectively enhance the resilience and transformative capacity of cultural commons such as GLAMs. The concept of intercommoning refers to the process by which different commons-based initiatives collaborate, co-create, and mutually support one another through shared values, practices, and infrastructures. Unlike single-issue or isolated commons, intercommoning implies the building of ecosystems of commons, or networks of networks, that operate across sectors and scales (De Angelis 2017; Helfrich & Bollier 2019). This framework builds on and extends the concept of the commons, understood as collectively managed resources and social systems that prioritize equitable access, reciprocity, and long-term sustainability over profit maximization (Ostrom 1990; Mattei 2011). When commons interact through networks—social, digital, institutional—they form what has been termed networks of commons (Bauwens et al. 2019) or commons constellations (Federici 2018), which enable distributed governance, resilience, and collective capacity-building. Moreover, intercommoning intersects with the idea of networks of community-based initiatives—those grassroots and place-based projects that arise in response to local needs but benefit from translocal cooperation and solidarity (Cattacin et al. 2021; Conill et al. 2012). It facilitates peer learning, mutual aid, and co-governance among these initiatives, strengthening their autonomy and collective impact. GLAMs—Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums, have long been thought of as custodians of heritage, culture, and knowledge. But we must go further: to reframe them as cultural infrastructures of the commons. As shown in the experiences of the Ecomuseu de Barroso and Cooperativa Terra Chã, located in central Portugal (Esteves 2019), museums and archives can be transformed into living systems that merge memory, livelihood, and ecological stewardship. Other illustrative examples include the Ökodorf Sieben Linden in Germany, which combines ecological living with community-led cultural education (Kunze 2012), and Can Batlló in Barcelona, a reclaimed industrial site managed by local cooperatives that integrates cultural, economic, and housing commons.
Acknowledgements
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Keywords
Commons,Cultural Infrastructures,Resilience,Community-led Initiatives,Transnational Networks
Funding Records
Funding Reference Funding Entity
CEECINST/00067/2021/CP2777/CT0002 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia