Throughout my research for my thesis, I have studied trends in the Commons framework that build community self-organization and resilience. Although much of the background research that I had to do for my thesis relied on formally vetted or published sources, many of the case studies that I took a look at were simply those which I observed in real life. To this end, I would like to take this opportunity to share those unpublished yet influential patterns of commoning-the composite which has been rather typical among commoning principles in the lived experience of communities given the perceived shortage of traditional "evidence" for these.
Fundamentally, they explore how such recurring actions and ideas support community self-sufficiency beyond state and market interventions. The following questions guide the analysis: what forms do these actions take? How do they function? Who are the participants, and what kinds of networks emerge?
For better understanding here is a sample pattern that I identified from my site visit to Chicago. It talks about Ritualizing Togetherness. Picking off of the published David Bollier and Silke's theory of commoning, this pattern explores the coming together of people in specific spaces and times.
These actions manifest primarily in four ways. First, Intentional Language emphasizes the use of words and phrases with mindfulness and deliberation, where the choice of verbiage negates harm and instead promotes sustenance. Next, Rhythm refers to the mindful repetition and frequency of meetings, events, and workshops that create a shared identity and narrative, fostering deeper understanding even in the simplest tasks. Intentional Space involves understanding why spaces exist in certain ways and purposefully naming and designing them to facilitate commoning. Lastly, Documentation captures and records these activities, allowing for reflection and creating stronger feedback loops.
There are millions of such patterns that enable community coherence and collaboration, here are two from the places I grew up in :
I think it is quite underrated and taken for granted how significant a simple element like flowers is in our society. From where I come, we usually have local vendors that bring flowers for the households in a door-to-door delivery system. These flowers are daily used to decorate the house as well as kept as offerings to the deities that adorn corners of the house. Irrespective of religion in one of the most diverse countries, the symbolism and identity that flowers hold within the society is largely invisible.
In terms of the pattern itself, what I think is the repetitive element here is this door-to-door mechanism that is slowly losing credibility. I remember how Encyclopedias and Books were sold door-to-door, election campaigns were done door-to-door, how vegetable and milk vendors still come door-to-door. These simple yet extremely intimate modes of delivery create a very rhythmic and systematic logic of relations with and within the community. They provide a very localized yet replicable pattern of engagement that has very clear boundaries and also modes of communication. This allows for the community to subsidize these "products" that are being sold. It's not just a philanthropic act but one of give and take outside of the monetary system. It has blurred definitions of what profit means and relies more on the trust and faith between people built through such regular and intimate interactions.
Another very unique and interesting pattern that I have observed in Indian culture is that of Processions. Processions take many forms, funeral processions, religious processions, wedding processions and even theatrical processions.
Processions scream interaction. In simple terms, a procession is just the movement of people from place to place in a specific intended path and certain capacity of groups. These paths are predetermined by the community members in tune with ecological factors such as rivers, specific landscape and relationship to the planet. What processions do is create a system of interaction that involves self-governance, maintenance and giving that is tied to a larger purpose associated not just with oneself. What makes processions commoning? What is being shared? Space is being shared and maintained, responsibility is shared and accounted for, the environment is kept in mind while in procession and promotes more mindful use of resources. It is a mechanism that changes the dynamics of relationships across space and time.
In Tamilnadu culture, when a family witnesses the death of a beloved, a traditional funeral procession is held where various activities are taken up by neighbors and those who witness this procession. They choose to join simply because the immediate family needs to grieve knowing that all rituals and necessary things are being taken care of. This is done so in the hope and belief that the actions are reciprocated and it always is. This builds extreme community resilience and breaks a lot of cultural and religious barriers that usually keep community tensions high.
Patterns help us understand the mechanisms or ways through which commoning exists as is in our society. Studying them helps replicate and modify these strategies to world problems that could then be resolved in a more collective and mindful manner.
Would you say these are patterns? Are there any patterns that you have come across that usually goes unidentified? Share them with us!
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Great read, Sindhu!!