Side-meeting of European regional chapters of the International Association for the Study of the Commons
Side-meeting of European regional chapters of the International Association for the Study of the Commons
TRANSCRIPT DRAFT for IASC
Meeting summary for Meeting of European regional chapters of the IASC (09/12/2024)
Quick recap
The meeting focused on the progress and future plans of the organization, including updates on discussions, presentations, and upcoming events and activities. Challenges were discussed, particularly in terms of data collection and organization status, and the importance of recognition and collaboration was emphasized. The meeting also saw introductions from new members and discussions on potential collaborations and contributions to ongoing projects.
Next steps
- Flavia to set up a separate meeting for PhD students who are members of the IAC to exchange ideas
- Members to continue filling in the Google Doc with their activities and interests
- Tobias and Ilkhom to include a standing item for early career scholars in future membership meetings
- Members to consider using the Colloquium series as a platform to present their work
- Kate to provide support for members interested in practical campaigning and lobbying actions
- XXX to follow up with the German Anthropology Association regarding presenting IAC at their conference
- Members to send relevant calls for papers or conference information to Ilkhom and XXX for circulation
- Members to consider attending and participating in the joint meeting with ICCA representatives tomorrow
- XXX to explore formalizing collaborative research directions with ICCA
- Members to review and contribute to the work groups document shared by Ilkhom
Summary
Regional Membership Meeting Discussion
The summary of the meeting transcript segment is: Ilkhom greets Tobias and acknowledges the challenges of a hybrid meeting format. Tobias appears to be leading the meeting. The slides indicate it is a regional membership meeting for the IASC Europe & CIS region, and the agenda is being displayed.
Organization Progress and Future Plans
The meeting was about discussing the progress and future plans of the organization. XXX shared updates on the discussions and presentations held, including the recognition of common issues, debates on conservation, and discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals. Ilkhom then took over, expressing his excitement about the meeting and the goal to exchange on membership meeting related issues. He mentioned that they had received feedback from members and were working on developing work groups. He also mentioned new activities focusing on the 2025 global conference and collaborations with other organizations. The meeting was part of the European Commons Conference.
Upcoming Events and Heritage Protection
Ilkhom outlined the plan for upcoming events and activities, including the Cert Isc Europe and Cis Colloquium Series, which Tobias will further discuss. XXX highlighted the importance of local communities protecting heritage sites and the significance of green spaces in urban areas. She also mentioned the discussion on data commons and governance of open data. The conversation ended with Ilkhom mentioning the World Commons Week and the ongoing activities related to the European Commons Lands Conference.
Challenges in Assessing Community Characteristics
XXX discussed the challenges faced in assessing community characteristics, particularly in terms of data collection and organization status. She highlighted the difficulty in obtaining reliable quantitative data, even from government sites, and the discrepancies in figures used by different organizations. XXX also mentioned the importance of recognition and the work done in a specific group. She noted the high diversity in the Alpine area, which could be seen as a strength, and the recurring similarities found despite this diversity.
European Conference Progress and Collaboration
XXX discussed the progress of the European Conference, highlighting the fruitful interactions between representatives of organizations and researchers. She mentioned upcoming sessions on mapping issues and legal aspects, and the potential for collaboration with the Swiss Commerce organization. XXX also touched on the development of membership, with Ilkhom presenting on the formation of work groups to facilitate stronger collaboration. Ilkhom mentioned the potential for joint publications, networking events, teaching collaborations, and the need for feedback on any missing areas. He also shared a link to a survey conducted to gauge interest in leading these work groups.
Developing Working Groups and Subgroups
Ilkhom discussed the development of four major working groups, each with subgroups. He mentioned that some ideas are open to contributions from others and are listed in a table. He also highlighted ongoing work within the context of Switzerland, a special issue focusing on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Journal of the Commons, and a Horizon Europe project he is leading on societal transformations and biodiversity. Ilkhom also expressed interest in leading work on methodological aspects related to Commons, rural Commons and biodiversity, and diagnostic frameworks. He emphasized the importance of self-organization and communication among members, and noted that there is unused potential for collaboration. He also mentioned the creation of a one-page document for feedback and interest, as well as more detailed workspaces for each subgroup.
2025 IASC Conference and Research Interests
In this meeting segment, Ilkhom and XXX discuss a shared document for members to indicate their research interests and potential contributions. XXX encourages members to fill out the document so they can review the activities at the next membership meeting. They also mention the upcoming 2025 IASC Conference and the possibility for members to present their work either in-person or online. Ilkhom provides an update that over 700 abstracts have been submitted for the conference. A new participant, Melanie from CNRS in Paris working on digital commons, joins the meeting.
ICCA, Commons, and Collective Action
XXX discussed the upcoming joint meeting with the ICCA and the potential for a special issue of the International Journal of the Commons on the relationship between ICCA and Commons. She emphasized the importance of collaboration between ICCA and the IAC regarding research, particularly in Europe where issues such as conservation, energy transition, and cotton scrapping are prevalent. XXX also highlighted the need for universities to be part of collective action to defend the Commons. She encouraged the team to participate in the joint meeting and to consider how to position themselves in the context of the ongoing debate on science and activism in European universities. Flavia Guerrieri, a postdoc at the Center on Economics, Politics and Social Systems (LEREPS) in Toulouse, introduced herself and expressed interest in working on complex commons in productive agriecosystems. Ilkhom suggested opening the discussion to members present.
Introductions and Collaborative Research Opportunities
In the meeting, Ilkhom encouraged members to introduce themselves and share their thoughts. Flavia introduced herself as a postdoc at the Center of Economics, Politics, and Social Systems in Toulouse, France, and shared her research on complex nested commons and livestock farming in the Obraik Highlands. She also mentioned her involvement with the Early Career Network of the International Association for the Study of Commoning (IASC). XXX suggested that Flavia’s initiative could be picked up more concretely and encouraged others to contribute to the Google Docs for future reference. Kate from the Open Spaces Society in the UK expressed her interest in collaborating with the group and offered her experience and support. The conversation ended with XXX mentioning the upcoming IASC 2025 global conference and the possibility of presenting the group’s work at the German Anthropology Association Conference.