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Author:   Dr Torange Khonsari (Senior Lecturer) ,  Professor Massimo de Angelis
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Academic
ISBN:  

9781350446311

ISBN 10:   1350446319
Pages:   272
Publication Date:   28 May 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: NETWORK SOCIETY AND COMMONS 1.1 Network society as context 1.2 Autonomous commons 1.3 Neighbourhoods as space for production of commons 1.4 Local resources as common good 1.5 Chapter conclusion CHAPTER 2: MOBILISING THE COMMONS 2.1 Obstacles to engagement 2.2 Designing Transformational Events 2.3 Transformational events as temporary commons 2.4 Design Model 1: Intimate Events - Temporary Commons that Host 2.5 Design Model 2: Gatherings as Public Events 2.6 Design Model 3: People’s assemblies 2.7 Temporary commons for community mobilisation 2.8 Chapter conclusion CHAPTER 3: MATERIALITY AND COMMON GOOD AESTHETICS 3.1 Common Good Cultural Objects 3.2 Introducing Aesthetic Quality for Cultural Commons 3.3 Common Good Aesthetic 3.4 Aesthetic Property: Tangible Materiality 3.5 The ‘Actant’: Objects with Agency 3.6 Aesthetic Attitude: Practitioner in Production 3.7 Chapter conclusion CHAPTER 4: LEARNING AS CULTURAL COMMONING – LEARNING COMMONS 4.01 Framing learning in the commons 4.02 Expanding the Learning Commons 4.03 Civic Education and UK policy 4.04 Case Study: The School for Civic Action 3.7 Chapter conclusion CHAPTER 5: COMMONS ORGANISATIONS 5.1 Why Commoning Practice? 5.2 Case Study: Public Works 2.03 Relational Theory for Commoning 2.03.01 Relational ethics of care 2.04 Knowledge and Knowing for Commoning 2.05 Boundary Commoning – permeable access 2.05.01 Knowledge beyond disciplinary boundaries/enclosures 2.06 Labour in Commoning – negotiation between reciprocal, waged and intangible labour forms 2.07 Commoning Through Design Intervention 2.08 Constituting/instituting the cultural commons CHAPTER 6: CONCLUDING CHAPTER

Reviews

Embodying a wisdom of rich theoretical understanding sustained by twenty years of practical experience, Khonsari's argument situates the collaborative Commons between the institutions of market and state to disclose opportunities of creative empowerment. With a wealth of detail, vivid examples and an acute understanding of collectives (people, things, nature, technology, laws), this important book should be read not only by practitioners but by every citizen seeking a concrete political life. * Peter Carl, Syracuse University, USA * Commons and Public Partnership: Legitimising a Commons Political Sphere synthesizes two decades of Khonsari’s experience researching, teaching, and practicing commons, using classrooms and neighbourhoods as the theoretical and practical origin for civic innovation and empowerment. This book offers an insightful critique of modern “democratic systems,” beginning by reconceptualizing concepts of state, market, citizen and neighbourhood sovereignty as the basis for societal governance and development. I highly recommend this book for readers looking for a contemporary, urban companion to Elinor Ostrom’s foundational Governing the Commons. * Daniel DeCaro, University of Louisville, USA * This book introduces a new paradigm in commons scholarship, proposing partnerships between commons and public institutions as a way to open new political spaces and forms of collectivity, while positioning the neighbourhood as a key site for commons-based decision-making. * Doina Petrescu, University of Sheffield, UK * Torange Khonsari's Commons and Public Partnership: Legitimising a Commons Political Sphere makes a crucial contribution to commons studies. It is an important and ambitious book based on the author's empirical findings from twenty years of work as an architect and educator. The book describes the design aspects of developing commons organizations, which require new imaginations, knowledge, and new forms of architectural practice. This book is a “must-read” for spatial practitioners, planning authorities, and civil society, cultural, and educational initiatives, opening up new avenues. * Meike Schalk, KTH School of Architecture, Sweden *

Embodying a wisdom of rich theoretical understanding sustained by twenty years of practical experience, Khonsari's argument situates the collaborative Commons between the institutions of Market and State to disclose opportunities of creative empowerment. With a wealth of detail, vivid examples and an acute understanding of collectives (people, things, nature, technology, laws), this important book should be read not only by practitioners but by every citizen seeking a concrete political life. * Peter Carl, Syracuse University, USA * Commons and Public Partnership: Legitimising a Commons Political Sphere synthesizes two decades of Khonsari’s experience researching, teaching, and practicing commons, using classrooms and neighbourhoods as the theoretical and practical origin for civic innovation and empowerment. This book offers an insightful critique of modern “democratic systems,” beginning by reconceptualizing concepts of state, market, citizen and neighbourhood sovereignty as the basis for societal governance and development. I highly recommend this book for readers looking for a contemporary, urban companion to Elinor Ostrom’s foundational Governing the Commons. * Daniel DeCaro, University of Louisville, USA * This book introduces a new paradigm in commons scholarship, proposing partnerships between commons and public institutions as a way to open new political spaces and forms of collectivity, while positioning the neighbourhood as a key site for commons-based decision-making. * Doina Petrescu, University of Sheffield, UK * Torange Khonsari's Commons and Public Partnership: Legitimising a Commons Political Sphere makes a crucial contribution to commons studies. It is an important and ambitious book based on the author's empirical findings from twenty years of work as an architect and educator. The book describes the design aspects of developing commons organizations, which require new imaginations, knowledge, and new forms of architectural practice. This book is a “must-read” for spatial practitioners, planning authorities, and civil society, cultural, and educational initiatives, opening up new avenues. * Meike Schalk, KTH School of Architecture, Sweden *

Author Information

Torange Khonsari is a chartered designer, an expert adviser for the Design Council, chair of the ethics committee at the Design Museum and has taught architecture in universities in the UK and internationally. She co-founded the practice Public Works - UK. She is also co-director of the Centre for Applied Research in Empowering Society at London Metropolitan University, UK.

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