The Commons Lab aims to structure a discourse and a series of actions and activities related to this concept. "Procomún" (Commons) is a new term that seeks to express a very old idea: that some assets belong to everyone and together they form a community of resources that should be actively protected and managed. That community consists of the things we inherit or create jointly and hope to leave to future generations. The Commons includes natural resources such as air, water, oceans, wildlife and deserts, as well as the Internet, radio-electric space, numbers, and medication. It also includes many social creations: libraries, parks, public spaces, scientific research, creative works, and the public knowledge we have accumulated over centuries.
The Commons Lab brings together people from various fields including philosophy, ecology, hacktivism, law, urban planning, art, journalism and economic policy. The first stage was carried out between June 2007 and February 2008, with conclusions written up by Antonio Lafuente in Laboratorio sin muros (Laboratory Without Walls). Afterward, several work groups were formed that meet periodically and work online to debate and plan actions that help to raise awareness about the value of various aspects of “the commons” and the dangers that threaten them.
Working groups 2011-2012 | Working groups 2011 | Working groups 2009-2010 | Work groups 2008-2009 |
If you wish to receive information about the groups and activities of the Lab, please register for the mailing list here.
For more information, contact laboratorio-procomun [at] medialab-prado.es
Commons Lab in Rosario (Argentina)
15M.cc Meeting and Screening of "15M: Excelente Revulsivo. Importante" Documentary
The sixth meeting of the 15M.cc workgroup –a transmedia, collaborative, copyleft and non profit project on the 15M movement– intends to facilitate as many narrations as possible concerning the citizen movement born on May 15th 2011 in Spain. This initiative, in time, has become an umbrella for projects in constant evolution. For this reason, 15M.cc has remained a beta version. [Live streaming]
7 pm: Screening the project’s documentary: 15M: Excelente Revulsivo. Importante
Presentarion of Commons Labs project 2013
The purpose of the call is to present current Commons Lab working groups and welcome new proposals that feature the Commons at the forefront and consider the Lab as a good context for their development incorporating collaborators.
Tensión entre lo público y el procomún
Sesión general de los grupos de trabajos del Laboratorio del procomún donde debatiremos acerca de la tensión entre lo público (lo estatal) y su relación con el procomún.
En la calle, mareas de todos los colores: marea verde (educación), marea blanca (personal sanitario), marea naranja (servicios sociales)... Respondiendo a las políticas de recorte y privatización, lo público se ha puesto en movimiento para salvar el acceso universal a los servicios básicos para la vida social. Una defensa apasionada que ha excedido con mucho a los profesionales, interpelando a la ciudadanía e invirtiendo la tendencia a la desafección por lo público. Pero, ¿se trata sobre todo de luchas reactivas o defensivas o en ellas apunta también una reinvención de la figura de lo público? ¿En qué sentido? ¿Tendría algo que ver con lo que llamamos “procomún”? [Streaming en directo]
- Memory and Commons Session. May, 2013
- Kune: a web tool to encourage collaboration, content sharing & free culture - April 2013
- Meeting of Move Commons Work group - April 2013
- Meeting of Move Commons Work group - March 2013
- Kune: a web tool to encourage collaboration, content sharing & free culture - March 2013
- Commons Lab General Meeting. March 2013
- Call for proposals for Commons Lab projects
- Laboratorio del Procomún México
- Free Culture: An Organization for the Collective Management and Defense of the Commons
- City and Commons Workgroup
- Metahumanism and Common Body
- Commons Based Enterprises workgroup 2012
- #bookcamping in the Commons Lab
- Move Commons Work Group
- Commons Lab - Working groups 2011-2012
- Kune: a web tool to encourage collaboration, content sharing & free culture