I’m undertaking a PhD at the University of New South Wales.
My research focuses on Sydney’s urban commons and the social solidarity economy.
Thesis Title
The Urban Commons: Law and governance in the social solidarity economy
Background
My PhD research is investigating the Sydney’s urban commons, and the social solidarity economy. My research focus is at the intersections of law, public policy and regenerative economics, with an emphasis on governance approaches and public policy enablers.
My research seeks to understand how the law and governance approaches can operate more effectively to create ecologically sustainable, economically just, and socially inclusive urban environments.
The Urban Commons
The term “the commons” generally refers to a set of shared resources, which can be physical or virtual, that are maintained, produced, or managed by communities of people, and governed and regulated through norms and rules created by the community.
The “urban commons” refer to commons that exist in an urban environment, for example community gardens, tool libraries, shared housing, energy, open-source protocols, designs, infrastructures, and the like. So called “urban commons institutions” may include organisations like the Inner West Tool Library, Reverse Garbage coop, and many of your local community or verge gardens, for example.
Research Gap
I am investigating the experiences of founders in getting these institutions established, and the role and experiences of volunteer members. I am particularly focused on understanding how the law and governance operate within urban commons institutions, and how different laws and governance approaches might be used to establish more urban commons institutions, in Sydney and beyond.
Research outcomes
This research will be useful for people interested in starting and sustaining an urban commons institution and will also be beneficial for developing better laws and governance models for community sharing of resources, goods, and services in effective, socially beneficial and resource efficient ways.
PhD supervisors: Dr John Carr and Professor Bronwen Morgan.