Abstract

The commons are the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including the basics for life such as air, water, and a habitable earth that are held in common, not owned privately. Since people identify with the commons from many perspectives, the commons are often defined differently or open to interpretation. The International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC) broadly defines commons as any natural or man-made resource that is or could be held and used in common (Berge and Laerhoven, 2011).