Commons Magazine

Commons Magazine is your gateway to the latest thinking and action in the commons movement. We pay close attention to how communities around the world are discovering the commons as a way to solve problems and to share what belong to all of us equitably – including future generations. You’ll find profiles of everyday people making a difference, groundbreaking ideas that will prove useful in your own life, as well as current news examined in fresh ways through a commons lens.

November 2012 Edition

Mayors Take Over the World The rising power of local government offers an opportunity to rebuild the commons	How to Get Fat Cat Money Out of Our Elections A commons-based solution for invigorating democracy in the U.S.
A Close Election, But Potentially A Transformative One A win for Obama and the Democrats opens a door for the commons	Mayors Are Taking Over the World From Paris to Charleston, South Carolina, local officials are fixing problems and restoring people’s hope in government
Create a Commons in Your Own Front Yard How a public bench transformed a suburban neighborhood

October 2012 Edition

A Stormy Reminder of Why We Need Government A job well done, from the local 911 switchboard to the White House	The Commons as a Transformative Vision Essay from a new book explains the world beyond market & state
My Common Education: Lessons From Open Field A Minneapolis Art Museum opens its grounds to community creativity	How New York City Kept Its Drinking Water Pure--And Saved Billions of Dollars 1st in a series looking at the unsung heroes who keep public water systems safe and efficient
A 500-Year Revolution of the Rich Against the Poor The loss of the Medieval commons still affects the world today	What Will Happen to Equal Protection Under the Law? The Supreme Court decides major issues like voting rights and marriage equality
What's the Source of Rage in the Republican Party? Democrats' victory can help the commons-- but the real work now starts at the gressroots	Walk This Way A place to stroll is the glue that holds communities together
Why Do Politicians Break Promises About Tackling Climate Change? The problem may not be their lack of integrity, but how we frame the issue	Is It All About Hormones? From the Boy Scouts to the Vatican to Wall Street, male decisionmakers act far differently than women
The Surprise Behind Detroit's Emerging Comeback Young people making a difference in the city are not all from somewhere else

September 2012 Edition

5 Ways to Save the Commons on Your Campus It starts with thinking of yourself as a commoner	Who Says Student Protests Are a Thing of the Past? Youth take to the streets in Chile and Puerto Rico, while student inspired demonstrations topple Quebec's ruling party
We're the NFL. We Don't Have to Care Here's what's really happening in the football referees lockout	How One Dutch Neighborhood Helped People Everywhere Reclaim the Commons Why it's better to ask for forgiveness, than for permission
The Hidden Issue in This Year's Campaign Government vs. Free Market misses the point. Government creates markets.	Where Do We Go From Here? A leading figure in the environmental movement offers a manifesto for America the Possible
Monsanto Goes All Out to Keep GMOs a Secret Ingredient in Our Food Polls show California voters favor labeling GMOs, but agribusiness dumps millions to defeat labeling in November election	Monsanto Goes All Out to Keep GMOs a Secret Ingredient in Our Food Polls show California voters favor labeling GMOs, but agribusiness dumps millions to defeat labeling in November election