Are there alternative trajectories of technological development? A political ecology perspective

by Vasilis Kostakis* Alternative technological systems could develop through the confluence of digital commons, peer-to-peer relations and local manufacturing capacity - but we need the integration of a political ecology perspective to face and overcome the challenges this transition implies Humans do not control modern technology: the technological system has colonized their imagination and it …

Commons and Contradictions: The Political Ecology of Elinor Ostrom

By Derek Wall* Elinor Ostrom (1933-2012) won a Nobel Prize in Economics in 2009 for her work on the commons.  Her work is hugely inspiring but difficult to fit into established categorized. Some political ecologists have criticized her as too conservative or managerial. Here, I will attempt here to outline why, despite these criticisms, I …

Political ecologies of enclosures and commoning in Mexico’s forests

The experience of Mexico, a global pioneer in community forestry, highlights the possibilities and challenges of commons as alternative forms of more just and sustainable socio-ecological regimes.* The experience of community forestry in Mexico, a global pioneer in common property arrangements in forest regions, highlights the possibilities of commoning as alternative forms of social organization, economic production …

Upcoming in Stockholm: International Conference “Undisciplined Environments”

Around 400 scholars, activists and artists will gather in Stockholm from 20th to 24th March to discuss the possibilities for a political ecology beyond disciplinary boundaries. The conference will be a place for intercultural exchanges on Indigenous ecologies and resistance. The ENTITLE Blog collective will be reporting on some of the main events.  The European Network …