Urban Commons Lab

Sharing City & Urban Commoning

Urban commoning has become a growing phenomenon in cities around the world. Defined here as the making of alternative public space and/or social relations outside the market-based economy, urban commoning supports community building, socializing, and even alternative economic production within the seams of hegemonic urban orders. In Taiwan, a variety of creative urban commons have also mushroomed in different cities in recent years. They range from self-organized activities at the community level, to even government-sponsored initiatives to activate historic sites. This research examined the efficacy of these initiatives in terms of their social, institutional, and political processes and outcomes. Given the variety of cases, this study also investigates the advantages and pitfalls of the different arrangements. [Link]

Fulbright Taiwan Foundation (2015). Fulbright scholar/ Jeff Hou. Host university/ National Taiwan University.