Dark Agoras / Unsettling land
Stories from the commons in the city and rural spaces, past and present
Video: Dark Agoras
Watch the full video of JT Roane’s talk, given in Brighton last week, on his new book Dark Agoras: Insurgent Black Social Life and the Politics of Place.
Dark Agoras reveals the histories of spaces made and used by Black people in twentieth century Philadelphia. In the talk, JT Roane tells the stories of underground disreputable spaces and the ‘set apart’ (spaces for religious gatherings) in the city, shaped by experiences of enslavement and migration, and asks what the future holds for valued urban spaces threatened by private investment.
Land reform and thinking beyond enclosures
Two new short essays explore commoning in land and food, via the current land reform movements in England, and the challenge of imagining worlds beyond the private ownership and enclosure.
How could land in England be reformed for the commons? by Elise Wach
Driven by deep inequalities and ecological crises, and inspired by progress in Scotland, social movements are advocating for England’s land to be governed more as a common resource.
Unsettling enclosures - by Anoushka Zoob Carter
What can it look like when groups of people organise themselves on and with the land outside of the lens, language, and relations of enclosure? Through examples from three countries where private land ownership dominates, we explore how land and food as commons can be re-imagined and put into practice.
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Future Natures aims to support a network that includes diverse communities of researchers, commoners, and commoning-aligned artists, writers, makers and others.
Our networking space aims to provide ways for people to connect across borders, places and experiences. The space includes a discussion forum and ways to share information or ideas with other people in the network.