20/12/2024
We are pleased to announce the release of the issue of Contesti (no. 1/2024) titled “(Re)producing everyday life: urban commoning through care” (Firenze University Press), edited by Chiara Belingardi (Lapei, University of Florence), Gabriella Esposito De Vita (Institute for Research on Innovation and Services for Development - Cnr Iriss), Stefania Ragozino (Cnr-Iriss), and Tihomir Viderman (BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg).
Drawing on innovative epistemological approaches, this issue delves into the intricate relationships between everyday life, urban commons, and care practices, highlighting how the dynamic and fluid nature of urban spaces intersects with the politics of communal living and collective care. In this context, the issue reflects on how capitalist forces and urban fragmentation exacerbate social inequalities, while also offering pathways for resistance and solidarity.
As cities become increasingly commodified and fragmented, this issue positions commons and care as fundamental pillars for reimagining urban spaces. Indeed, commons - as collective spaces and practices built through mutual care and shared responsibility - can provide a powerful counterpoint to the to the fragmentation of the everyday life, brought on by capitalist dynamics. The concept of commoning is explored as an ongoing process of negotiation, creation, and defense that binds urban spaces together, fostering solidarity in the face of systemic pressures. Special attention is given to how locally embedded care practices can disrupt power dynamics, reclaim urban spaces, and offer an alternative to the isolation fostered by capitalist systems. Through the lens of everyday life, the issue illustrates how small-scale, collective acts of care can resist fragmentation, challenge social inequalities, and transform urban environments.
The thematic framework of this issue is informed by discussions at the international conference "Urban Conflicts and Peace: Everyday Politics of Commons" (October 2023, Naples, Italy), organized by the Institute for research on innovation and services for development of the National Research Council of Italy (Cnr Iriss) and the AESOP Thematic Group “Public Spaces and Urban Cultures”. Drawing from these conversations, the issue presents diverse perspectives on how care and commons intersect, providing valuable insights into how cities might be reshaped through everyday acts of collective resistance.
The contributions collected in this issue highlight the need for collaborative, community-led approaches to urban design and governance, emphasizing the importance of solidarity, mutual aid, and care in the creation of just and inclusive cities. By engaging with these themes, the issues invites readers to reflect on the possibility of a future where urban spaces are not just sites of commodification but also places of care, cooperation, and collective action.
Per informazioni:
Stefania Ragozino
Cnr - Istituto di Ricerca su Innovazione e Servizi per lo Sviluppo
s.ragozino@iriss.cnr.it
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