Abstract
The contemporary world is facing multiple interconnected crises necessitating sustainability transformations. These crises, spanning ecological, economic, social, and health domains, are primarily attributed to a growth-centric economic model, based on resources exploitation. Scholars and practitioners have responded by advocating for sustainability transformations, defined as fundamental changes addressing ecological degradation and social inequality. Amid these transformations, historical commons emerge as potential grounds for sustainability efforts, rooted in collective action around resource management to address community needs and social-ecological well-being. However, dysfunctionality within historical commons, marked by a misalignment between traditional rules and evolving socio-economic relations in mountain areas, poses a significant challenge. Research and practice have therefore focused on identifying the mechanisms that lead to dysfunctionality in historical commons and innovative forms that allow overcoming it, so that these can become fertile grounds for the sustainable transformations necessary to address contemporary challenges.
This study delves into the systemic problems causing historical commons dysfunctionality, adopting a multi-scale perspective that considers regional, translocal, and community dynamics. At the heart of the investigation is the field of social innovation involving commons, providing a holistic lens beyond technical and sectoral approaches. The study aims to examine reconfiguring processes within historical commons, focusing on social practices such as networks, attitudes, and governance arrangements for repurposing commons.
Building upon this foundational understanding, the thesis zooms in on the notion of repurposing commons in the context of a changing global economy. It explores the need to re-embed commons in a re-conceptualized economy that goes beyond the growth imperative, drawing inspiration from feminist and community economies. Community entrepreneurship emerges as a potential compromise within a capitalist framework, demonstrating the capacity to generate incentives for multi-level collective action. However, challenges arise due to the prevailing market-based economic model and societal structures, necessitating a nuanced exploration of community entrepreneurship to repurpose commons effectively.
In line with this background, the overarching question guiding this investigation is: How does social innovation contribute to understanding and enhancing the repurposing of commons in mountain areas to current needs and challenges? This study explores the interconnections between global trends and local commons institutions, the emergence of innovations in collective governance, and the evaluation of social innovations in historical commons. By addressing these specific aims, the research aims to contribute actionable knowledge through approaches comprising systems thinking, transdisciplinary action research, and formative evaluation tools that foster social learning as well as and connections among research participants. This research integrates theoretical and empirical dimensions to provide a nuanced understanding of the complex dynamics within historical commons and their potential role in sustainability transformations.
This study reveals the dysfunctionality of commons stems from a misalignment between socio-economic characteristics and admission rules. It advocates for rule redesign via social innovation, emphasizing gradual repurposing to address current challenges. Social innovation, recognizing new needs, transforms historical commons into agents of sustainable local development. Repurposing involves negotiating at multiple scales, collaborating externally, and empowering community members through forms of community entrepreneurship. The theoretical conclusion defines social innovation as reconfiguring social practices in response to emerging societal needs, fostering inclusive, multi-level logics and transitioning from management to governance, recognizing interdependence between social and ecological wellbeing. In short, repurposing historical commons involves creating new equilibriums with new actors, governance arrangements, and resource systems.
Strengths of the study include its comprehensive exploration across diverse scales including regional, translocal and local, commitment to participant empowerment, and qualitative depth, providing a nuanced understanding of complex processes. Potential limitations include the risk of losing clarity in the investigation due to the multi-level approach, which may blur the boundaries of the systems under investigation. Balancing multifaceted personal perspectives with in-depth exploration poses an additional challenge. Ethical considerations highlight the importance of sustainability transformations and the need for ethical research design, acknowledging normativity in innovation processes, and considering power relations in small communities.
The study suggests future research avenues, including investigating the relationship between participation in collective action and the reduction of vulnerabilities, understanding factors that motivate participation, and exploring the contribution of commons to climate and biodiversity justice. In conclusion, this research encourages viewing repurposed historical commons beyond techno-bureaucratic management, recognizing their potential to cultivate interdependence among humans and more-than-humans and facilitate democratic, inclusive practices for social and ecological well-being.