This thesis argues that commons enclosure in the Clearance Era on the Uist island group in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland was a direct result of the Clearances on those islands in the 18th and 19th centuries and how the enclosure of commons on these islands was catastrophic to those communities who had functioned, worked, and thrived in those regions for millennia. Commons and commons systems are those resources such as land, water, and produce either from agriculture or natural harvesting which contribute to human habitation and existence in a particular geographic area. Commons and commons systems on North and South Uist island group are no exception. The recognition of these systems in the Uists is imperative to understanding how the enclosure of commons in the Outer Hebrideans impacted land use and agrarian practices.

‘The commons’ is a concept originating from the traditional shared use of land, but which now often refers to any social asset, physical or abstract, that is shared. This research concerns one aspect of the commons, namely the knowledge commons. The thesis explores community roles in developing and sustaining cultural institutions as key components of the knowledge commons. It focuses particularly on processes of participatory design, and on the capacity of digital technologies to support community engagement. The study takes place across the cultural contexts of the State of Victoria (Australia) and Singapore. The three key aims of the thesis are to explore in what ways and to what extent: I. The emerging concept of the knowledge commons relates to the role of cultural institutions as systems for the creation and sharing of sustainable knowledge resources by their communities. II. The notion of participative design may be applicable to the ongoing development of such systems as multi-stakeholder partnerships to meet community needs. III. Differences in national culture may affect the generality of such an analysis. The research design employs literature analysis and multiple case studies as a basis for proposing new theorisations and an analytical tool to assist future action by cultural institutions and relevant communities. The main perspective used in framing the literature analysis and case studies is Giddens’ structuration theory. Structuration sees the continuing interplay between social action and social structure as the means by which the cultural patternings known as institutions are recursively produced. A complementary perspective used is Hofstede’s model of cultural dimensions. Other theorists from a range of disciplines provide perspectives on particular concepts or aspects, such as the commons and participatory design. Five chapters are headed ‘Foundations’. These seek to explicate key dimensions of the research, namely the knowledge commons, community knowledge, cultural institutions, participatory design, and the cultural contexts of Victoria and Singapore. Four chapters are headed ‘Case Study’ and deal with individual cultural institutions, or clusters of institutions, which were the sites of exploratory enquiry (generally consisting of interviews and observation, but in the case of Museum Victoria also elements of action research). The cultural institutions covered by these chapters are Museum Victoria/Women on Farms Gathering, the Asian Civilisations Museum, Public Libraries in Victoria and Public Libraries in Singapore. These insights are analysed to propose a series of related typologies. The coverage of these typologies includes resource characteristics, collective processes, and cultural dimensions. The typologies come together as components of an integrated, explanatory conceptual model concerning the relationships between the commons, cultural institutions, communities, collective processes (including the role of information and communication technologies) and participatory design within cultural institutions. In the final chapter answers are formulated for the initiating research questions. Also the integrated model developed by the thesis is used as the basis for a proposed analytical tool to assist action towards enhanced community engagement in the development of cultural institutions. Use of the tool is illustrated by application to several examples of collective action encountered during the research.

Commons-based peer production is an activity that is emerging as a distinct mode of resource allocation and production of information, knowledge and culture ('social production' for short), potentially heralding a new stage in the development of information/knowledge-based economies. This paper presents a cross-country analysis of factors determining the information and knowledge output of the paradigmatic social production project, i.e. SETI@home. The main hypothesis explored is that the level of average subjective well-being in a country is a motivational proxy variable that can help explain the cross-country variation in SETI@home output levels. The hypothesis that trust might be of lesser importance is also explored. I find support for both hypotheses, but only for developed and advanced countries, not poor countries.

Protected areas have so far been the primary means to conserve biodiversity, an increasingly important environmental issue, but proposals to establish protected areas are often met by local resistance due to fears that user rights will be severely restrained. Nature conservation traditionally aims to preserve an ideal state of nature, in which interference by people is minimized through a number of regulations, and where central authorities are in charge. Increasingly, however, conservation policy emphasizes participation. Protected area designations are about institutional change where customary and legal rights to use and manage certain resources are renegotiated. Protected areas can be considered as multi-use and multi-level commons that may benefit from co-management where the state cooperates with user groups, municipalities, research institutions and others. This thesis analyzes the establishment phase of the co-management of multi-level, multi-use commons in order to characterize design principles common to the emergence of co-management processes which improve institutional robustness. The thesis is based on a quantitative survey study and a small-n comparative case study. Paper I compares national, regional and local public opinions about protected areas through a multi-level survey. Papers II to IV each presents a case study of a designation process within the Swedish mountain region. The qualitative case studies are based on the structured, focused comparison method and employ within-case analysis and process-tracing. The material examined consisted of written documenta­tion and 41 semi-structured interviews. The two studies contribute to commons theory; the focus on the establishment phase provides opportunities to acquire abundant information about how contextual and process factors influence the functioning of a co-management arrangement. Paper I suggests that national public opinion is an important contextual variable for natural resources of national interest, and shows that 65% of the Swedish population support local or co-management of protected areas. Papers II to IV reveal that the rigidity of the existing institutional framework is another important contextual variable that influences the degree of learning taking place. Further, the comparative analysis proposes that certain characteristics of a process (the co-management process principles) are essential for the realization of co-management arrangements of multi-level and multi-use commons. The principles are representation, reason(ableness), powers, accountability and learning.

The theme of this thesis is environmental research as a tool for change. In the first part of the thesis a “Situation of Opportunity” is studied, i.e. a situation when the opportunities to reduce negative environmental impacts are larger than usual. The maintenance of a multi- family residential area, here called a Small Neighbourhood, is studied as a series of Situations of Opportunity. To explore the prerequisites for using maintenance as a Situation of Opportunity, two case studies were carried out and reported as a licentiate thesis. The first one on the rental area Idö-Våldö in Stockholm managed by the association Stockholms Kooperativa Bostadsförening (SKB), and the second one on Järven, a housing cooperative in Malmö that cooperates with the management organisation HSB Malmö. In the study the researcher developed long-term environmental strategies based on the planned maintenance of the areas. Besides exploring the prerequisites for using planned maintenance as a Situation of Opportunity, the intention was that the studies would initiate an environmental practice within the areas studied. Results indicated that maintenance, at least in principle, creates many possibilities for reducing negative environmental impacts and that it to some extent also can be used for creating a dialogue between residents and managers. However, the conditions for using maintenance in the cases studied were limited by low interest among the residents as well as the economical and organisational prerequisites of the cases. The studies did not initiate an environmental practice as intended. The reason for that might be the mentioned conditions, but it could also depend on the researcher’s limited knowledge on action-oriented and collaborative research. Thus, the second part of the thesis aims at developing a research methodology for such research. Based on empirical experiences from the Idö-Våldö and Järven-studies and a literature study, a methodology for action-oriented research for environmentally sustainable housing (ARESH) is outlined. It is proposed that methods of action research and of case study methodology could be applied in ARESH. However, there are several potential conflicts in ARESH. The researcher has for instance to judge if the study should be led in the first hand by participants or by researchers, or if it should be more oriented towards theory than practice. One conclusion is that a research methodology for such research needs to be further discussed and also further explored in practice. Since there are indications that a collaborative and action-oriented research is evolving in the field of environmental research, it is hoped that the findings of the thesis can contribute to a discussion on how to carry out research as a tool for change / QC 20110121

Present trends in the mainstream adoption of educational technology coupled to the increased acceptance and adoption of openness in terms of sharing resources and open access force higher education into a radical rethink of its structures and educational strategies. This article examines the current shift in focus from the simple production and sharing of open educational resources (OER) towards wider concepts such as open educational practices (OEP) and cultures (OEC). OER involves mostly educators whereas OEP and OEC demand the commitment of management, administrators and politicians.  This openness is already spawning alternative types of peer-based collaborative learning both inside and outside the formal education system. In particular the increased awareness of the importance of informal learning has raised a clear need for some kind of certification model and the current open badges initiative lead by Mozilla and several US authorities is examined and discussed. In 2011 the OER university partnership announced an innovative approach to combining formal and informal learning by planning to offer credible credentials for students who have acquired the necessary skills through their own learning paths. The road to future higher education may not be entirely behind the campus walls.

This paper deals with Community Based Forest Management in Mountain rainforests in Babati. This form of management is when the Communities are managing the forest with some help from the Government. I have made a field study to see how the managing is working the mountain forests. I made interviews with chairmen, guards and district council. The purpose with the interview is to give answers to my questions about CBFM and how it is working. I want to see if the CBFM is sustainable in Babati and know if the villagers are satisfied with it. To answer the sustainability questions, studies in Ostroms eight principles for sustainable forest management is made. The main conclusions of the study are: Babati will have a sustainable management if they follow the rules and laws that are made for Community Based Forest Management, if the community gets some kind of benefits for being the manager and they want to take care of the forest in a good way when they are the owners. If there are threats against the villagers like pressure from others villages or corruptions this sustainability can be destroyed. CBFM needs supporting systems, help from the Government, clearly defined boundaries and the basic needs like food and shelter is fulfilled before they can think of the ecosystem health and sustainability.

No description available.

<p>The theme of this thesis is environmental research as a tool for change. In the first part of the thesis a “Situation of Opportunity” is studied, i.e. a situation when the opportunities to reduce negative environmental impacts are larger than usual. The maintenance of a multi- family residential area, here called a Small Neighbourhood, is studied as a series of Situations of Opportunity.</p><p>To explore the prerequisites for using maintenance as a Situation of Opportunity, two case studies were carried out and reported as a licentiate thesis. The first one on the rental area Idö-Våldö in Stockholm managed by the association Stockholms Kooperativa Bostadsförening (SKB), and the second one on Järven, a housing cooperative in Malmö that cooperates with the management organisation HSB Malmö. In the study the researcher developed long-term environmental strategies based on the planned maintenance of the areas. Besides exploring the prerequisites for using planned maintenance as a Situation of Opportunity, the intention was that the studies would initiate an environmental practice within the areas studied.</p><p>Results indicated that maintenance, at least in principle, creates many possibilities for reducing negative environmental impacts and that it to some extent also can be used for creating a dialogue between residents and managers. However, the conditions for using maintenance in the cases studied were limited by low interest among the residents as well as the economical and organisational prerequisites of the cases. The studies did not initiate an environmental practice as intended. The reason for that might be the mentioned conditions, but it could also depend on the researcher’s limited knowledge on action-oriented and collaborative research.</p><p>Thus, the second part of the thesis aims at developing a research methodology for such research. Based on empirical experiences from the Idö-Våldö and Järven-studies and a literature study, a methodology for action-oriented research for environmentally sustainable housing (ARESH) is outlined. It is proposed that methods of action research and of case study methodology could be applied in ARESH. However, there are several potential conflicts in ARESH. The researcher has for instance to judge if the study should be led in the first hand by participants or by researchers, or if it should be more oriented towards theory than practice. One conclusion is that a research methodology for such research needs to be further discussed and also further explored in practice. Since there are indications that a collaborative and action-oriented research is evolving in the field of environmental research, it is hoped that the findings of the thesis can contribute to a discussion on how to carry out research as a tool for change</p>

Det finns många miljömässiga och ekonomiska baksidor med de konsumtionsmönster som har utvecklats i västvärlden. Detta har lett till ökad medvetenhet kring problemen. Kollaborativ konsumtion är en företeelse som fått allt större spridning tack vare modern teknik och internet. Det innebär ett sätt att förändra konsumtionsmönstren genom att dela på materiella tillgångar. I den här pilotstudien intervjuades sju personer. Fem av dessa har valt att delta i Swinga Bazaar, en nystartad digital tjänst för kollaborativ konsumtion av föremål. De begränsningar som framkom gällande ägodelar kan delas upp i två slag: Hinder, alltså något som gör att respondenten tvekar eller avstår från att delta, och förebehåll, vilket innebär att de kan delta men på vissa villkor. Mest frekvent förekommande var förbehåll angående vem respondenterna kunde tänka sig att låna/hyra ut till. En slutsats är därför att man bör anpassa digitala tjänster för kollaborativ konsumtion till att ta detta resultat i beaktande; användarna bör ges möjlighet att välja att låna/hyra ut bara till personer de känner sedan tidigare. Ytterligare ett syfte med studien var att undersöka drivkrafter bakom valet att delta i kollaborativ konsumtion. När det gällde Swinga Bazaar var sociala relationer viktigast, men även när det gällde den generella synen på kollaborativ konsumtion angavs sociala aspekter som en av de viktigaste fördelarna. Därför är en slutsats att de aktiva användarna är viktiga som förebilder. De bör involveras i arbetet för att locka ännu fler att delta. Andra fördelar med kollaborativ konsumtion som framkom i intervjuerna var bland annat miljöskäl och möjligheten att spara pengar samt ett mer effektivt nyttjande av egna och andras ägodelar. Denna bredd av motiverande faktorer möjliggör olika tilltalssätt för att locka fler människor till att delta. / There are many social and economic downsides to the consumption patterns that have developed in the Western world. This has lead to an increased awareness·of the problem. Collaborative consumption is a phenomen that is gaining traction thanks to modern technology and the internet. It represents one way of changing consumption patterns by sharing tangible assets. In this pilot study, seven people were interviewed. Five of these have chosen to participate in Swinga Bazaar, a newly established digital service for collaborative consumption of goods. The limitations that emerged regarding belongings can be divided into two kinds: obstacles, that is, something that makes the respondent hesitate or refrain from participating, and restrictions, which means they can participate but under certain conditions. The most frequently occurring restriction concerned who the respondents were willing to lend or rent to. One conclusion is therefore that one should adapt digital servives for collaborative consumption to consider this result; the users should be given the option to lend/rent only to people with whom they are already familiar. Another aim with the study was to investigate the driving forces behind the choice to participate in collaborative consumption. In the case of Swinga Bazaar, social relations were the most important. But also concerning the general view of collaborative consumption, social aspects were identified as one of the most important benefits. Therefore, one can draw the conclusion that the active users are important as role models. They should be involved in the work to encourage even more people to participate. Other benefits of collaborative consumption emerging from the interviews were environment reasons and the possibility to save money as well as a more efficient use of their own and others belongings. This breadth of motivating factors enables different ways to attract people to take part.