The Circle of Commoning: Conceptualising Commoning through the Case of Community-Led Housing

There are endless styles of commoning, and not a single perfect way to manage the commons. Each commons is unique, with its own context, aims, membership and culture. How can we explain the diversity of commoning practices? This paper proposes a conceptual framework for the process of commoning: the Circle of Commoning. This framework identifies two interrelated dynamics in the practice of commoning: internal and external. It identifies three key elements of commoning: subjectivities, visions and social relations. These elements are interconnected, specific to a time and place and always relate to broader political and cultural contexts. Using the case of UK community-led housing as an illustration, the framework explains how the interplay between the internal and external factors determines the nature of the commons. This framework is applicable to all types of commons and other types of social organisations, and bridges the existing gap in the literature between studies focusing on small scale practices and those concerned with macro socio-economic contexts.