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Public evening in English as part of the international conference "Beyond Liberalism: Commons, Constitutionalism, and the Common Good."

The passion for political participation is not something that depends on the developmental level of a given region. It is not something that you can be taught by supposedly enlightened rulers or encouraged by economic growth. Every person is equally suited for direct democracy, regardless of skin color or place of origin. The only requirement is the development of a passion for political participation, and such can only be attained from the self-activity of common people.

Communal work refers to a collaborative effort where members of a community come together to achieve a common goal or objective. It involves individuals working together in a shared space to accomplish tasks such as building houses or clinics, organizing events, providing services, or undertaking infrastructure projects. Different cultures have different names for it, such as Talkoot (Finland), Gotong-royong (Indonesia), Nachbarschaftshilfe (Germany), and Bayanihan in the Philippines. 

Can studying cooperative housing in Sweden teach the U.S. how to overcome the moderate-income family housing crisis?

Today I’m talking with Matt Hancock, who’s been heavily involved with the co-operative movement in Emilia Romagna – the region of Italy around Bologna. There’s a huge, very successful co-op sector in ER. I want to try to find out in this interview is why – what’s special about ER, and can it be emulated elsewhere?

Encyclopedia of the Social and Solidarity Economy: A Collective Work of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task
Force on SSE (UNTFSSE).

How might the commons paradigm be applied to cities in a more focused, effective way?  To find some answers, I recently interviewed two leading thinkers and advocates for urban commons, Sheila R. Foster and Christian Iaione.

Vernon interviews Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Ph.D., Professor at John Jay College, and Ajowa Nzinga Ifateyo, Co Editor at Grassroots Economic Organizing. Both are also economic social justice advocates. Vernon and his guests will discuss the Unsung Cooperative Hero Award, and its first recipient Ella Jo Baker.

10 years after the death of Comandante Hugo Chávez Frías, “commune or nothing” remains the battle cry of the Venezuelan people advancing in the Bolivarian revolution

Last week’s seminar with guest speaker Professor Vera Zamagni explored the various forms of value generated by Italian social cooperatives.