The Publicness of Urban Commons. Insights from the Brussels Commoning Scene

Abstract

If care is one dimension of welfare we need to reappropriate to protect the foundations of a democratic society and democracy, publicness is the other. As Ota De Leonardis pointed out, the final consolidation of the institutions and the operating systems of the welfare state corresponded to the loss of a lively public sphere - as an essential, fundamental public good. While her observations were formulated at the end of the 90s, in the context of an emerging welfare mix season and growing privatisation, they appear very relevant today, given the more recent developments of the welfare systems, particularly the proliferation of urban commons. While almost inherently representing a complementary layer of existing welfare infrastructures, their operational systems and conditions may fuel the risk of increasing privatism in the welfare sphere. Vis-à-vis, such a risk, looking at the case of Brussels, I will investigate the publicness of the urban commons as a capability to contribute to the identification of welfare problems and issues and the elaboration of solutions in the public sphere. Keywords: urban commons - publicness - public sphere- welfare - Brussels