LHA1114H
While our economic GDP is growing today via enclosure and destruction of the Commons, our human wellbeing and sustainability increasingly depend not only upon protection of the Commons (economic, ecological, cultural and electronic) but their extension in most areas of human experience. With the participation of all faculty members of the AECD Program, the course will be based on introducing students to the following: i) a history of Commons in societies; ii) conceptualization of Commons; iii) relevance of Commons for understanding adult education in relation to a variety of learning contexts and social issues. In this context, the course will specifically seek to explore the following dynamics of change: a) the current impact of ‘counter-commons’ market measures of wealth, well-being and ‘development’; b) current commons- related education, policy and activism in economic, social, cultural and spiritual realms at the local, national and global levels; and c) theoretical and strategic debates among commoners and between commoners and corporate ‘sharing economy.’