In a time of climate change the Arctic region is undergoing rapid changes, and the decreasing sea ice cover is expected to draw increased commercial interests as The Arctic Ocean gets more accessible for resource exploitation. The central part of the ocean is common area, where, in theory, overfishing may result in a tragedy of the commons and related fish stocks collapse. This study aims to provide insights into how fishing in the central Arctic Ocean relates to successful collective management, and was conducted using Elinor Ostroms design principles and The Logic of Collective Action as a framework for an ideal type inspired analysis. The results show that conditions for collective fisheries management in the central Arctic Ocean are relatively good, and it’s concluded that collective fisheries management is already embraced and enacted upon by several actors. However, to attain the ideal state of collective management further improvements are required, although there are also multiple options as to how such requirements could be met and there was no indication of why collective management would be unsuccessful. / I samband med ett förändrat klimat så genomgår även den arktiska regionen snabba förändringar, där den minskande havsisen i Arktiska oceanen ger ökad tillgång till naturresurser och förväntas dra allt större kommersiella intressen. Den centrala delen av oceanen är en allmänning, vilken enligt teorin kan överfiskas och resultera i en allmänningens tragedi och relaterade kollapser av fiskbestånd. Denna studie ämnar ge en insikt i hur fisket i centrala Arktiska oceanen förhåller sig till lyckad kollektiv förvaltning, och utfördes genom att låta Elinor Ostroms designprinciper och det kollektiva handlandets logik utgöra ett ramverk för en idealtypsinspirerad analys. Resultaten visar att förutsättningarna för kollektiv förvaltning är relativt goda och att fisket i viss utsträckning redan förvaltas kollektivt. För att uppnå en idealtypisk kollektiv fiskeförvaltning framgår det dock att ytterligare insatser behövs men att det även finns flera alternativ för att möta dessa behov, och det fanns heller ingen antydan av att kollektiv förvaltning skulle misslyckas.

abstract: In recent years, the world has debated the idea of biofuels as a solution to energy security, energy independence, and global climate change. However, as the biofuels movement has unfolded, crucial issues emerged regarding biofuels efficacy and efficiency. The deployment of biofuels of marginal benefit has raised questions about how countries like the USA may have found themselves so invested in a potentially failing technology. In order to better understand and evaluate these issues, this study utilizes the Ostrom Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework to better evaluate these issues and analyze interacting institutions that shape US biofuel policy. The IAD framework is a model that enables one to study, conceptualize, compare, and make connections across decision arenas that would otherwise be distinct from each other. By analyzing the interactions of relevant institutions, one can see how different dynamic interests interacted to shape biofuel policy in the USA today. Conclusions from this analysis include: the IAD framework is ideal for analyzing the political and economic case for biofuels. The five action arenas identified in this thesis are sufficient to understand corn bioethanol policy. A compelling case for supporting bioethanol is not made. An international agreement to reduce GHG emissions could change the landscape for biofuels. Finally, there is little prospect for biofuels playing a significant role in the near term without greater alignment among the action arenas. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Sustainability 2010

This paper is a qualitative text analysis with a purpose of evaluating strengths and weaknesses of the Paris Agreement in the light of the eight design principles of Elinor Ostrom's theory on how to govern the common resources. The eight design principles are; clearly defined boundaries, congruence between appropriation and provision rules and local conditions, collective-choice arrangements, monitoring, graduated sanctions, conflict-resolution mechanisms, minimal recognition of rights to organize, nested enterprises. These principles then lay the ground for the chosen methodological framework. Processes of categorization and coding the Agreement into categories based upon the eight principles then allows for an understanding of strengths and weaknesses shown in the Agreement, in relation to the theory. The result is then also discussed in relation to further considerations that might be important factors to take into account when understanding the Paris Agreement. The paper is based around the document on the Paris Agreement as well as the book by Ostrom named Governing the Commons “The Evolution of Institutions for CollectiveAction”. Further documents and articles are presented throughout the paper, especially in the analysis and discussion to provide for a wider picture on the subject and to avoid an all-biased paper.

No description available.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Governance is essentially the process whereby organisations or networks of organisations exercise their authority. It describes how a body with authority makes or does not make decisions, and how it implements - or does not implement - those decisions. 'Good' groundwater governance can then be defined by how fair the decision-making process is, and how effective the implementation process is. Groundwater governance in South Africa is increasingly being categorized as ineffective. The purpose of this thesis is to explore ways to improve groundwater governance in South Africa. Initial reviews of international studies of groundwater governance did not find any processes that could be directly imported into the South African governance landscape for testing. The global consensus was that there were no blueprints for improving groundwater governance, and that each case should be treated as unique. Therefore the thesis had to change from its initial aim of finding firm rules that could be tested in the South African context, to a revised aim of formulating tentative heuristics, rules, strategies and hypotheses that might be useful for further work in the South African context.An exploratory, inductive-based, loosely structured methodology was therefore employed rather than a more formal, deductive-based testing of hypotheses. In short, the objective of this thesis was concerned with formulating hypotheses rather than testing them.The novel, general, contribution made by this thesis is to synthesize global groundwater governance literature with the specific aim of improving groundwater governance in a specific country. While reviews of global literature do exist, they have thus far only been used to make generic recommendations, and have not been specifically applied to a country. Conversely, while attempts to improve groundwater governance for specific regions and countries do exist, these attempts have largely done so without synthesizing existing global knowledge. Indeed, the emphasis on national, regional and local studies has principally been to understand the factors at work affecting groundwater governance, rather than to improve governance.

No description available.

Vertebrate fossils have been discovered at several locations in the Bighorn Basin (Wyoming). The Virginia Museum of Natural History's (VMNH) digsite is located in the eastern part of the Bighorn Basin, in the Coyote Basin. Many scientists have worked within these basins trying to describe the stratigraphy. One question specifically asked is where the boundary between the Morrison Fm. (Jurassic) and the Cloverly Fm. (Cretaceous) lies. This new study attempted to show if the current method (Kvale, 1986) of determining the boundary is appropriate. The stratigraphy of the area was examined using Kvale, 1986, Ostrom, 1970, and Moberly, 1960's work in order to see which model was more robust. The fossils in the VMNH digsite were used to supplement the stratigraphic data in determining the age of specific beds. All of Ostrom's units were identified throughout the study area. There is some doubt as to whether the units would be acceptable outside of the Coyote Basin because of laterally discontinuity. Nevertheless, his description of units is satisfactory for the study area, and is more appropriate than other methods. The geologic age of the dinosaurs uncovered in the VMNH quarry is in agreement with the age determined stratigraphically. The VMNH site is below Ostrom's Unit II, which would place it in the Late Jurassic. The determination of the Jurassic/Cretaceous stratigraphic boundary has not been resolved. However, since the Pryor Conglomerate member of the Cloverly Fm. can be identified throughout this area, it is proposed as the Morrison Fm./Cloverly Fm. boundary. / Master of Science

Möjligheterna för skogsbruket och rennäringen att samexistera har sedan den industriella skogsindustrins början varit en infekterad fråga. Under 2000-talet startades projektet att införa renbruksplaner (RBP) i Sveriges samebyar med syfte att förbättra relationen mellan parterna i samråd, vilket upplevs ha uppfyllts. Renbruksplan är rennäringens motsvarighet till skogsbrukets skogsbruksplan och är ett informations- och dataverktyg med en kartläggning över renarnas betesmarker. Den här uppsatsen undersöker varför projektet med renbruksplaner har lyckats genom att använda Elinor Ostroms teori om förvaltning av en gemensam resurspool. Syftet är att illustrera möjliga förklaringsfaktorer till varför samverkan mellan skogsbruket och rennäringen upplevs ha förbättrats i och med införandet av RBP. Med hjälp av en kvalitativ innehållsanalys har Ostrom designprinciper för självstyrande och hållbar förvaltning hittats i fem rapporter publicerade av Skogsstyrelsen i projektets slutskede. Totalt fanns det stöd i rapporterna för att sex av åtta designprinciper applicerats i och med införandet av RBP. Två av dessa, Ostrom designprincip om tydligt definierade gränser och konfliktlösningen mekanismer, kan identifieras som möjliga förklaringsfaktorer. Att dessa två principer har införts har underlättat kommunikationen mellan parterna vilket lett till större förståelse för varandras branscher och situation. / Whether forestry industry and reindeer husbandry could harmoniously coexist in northern Sweden has been debated since modern forestry started. A unique context grants indigenous people in Sweden, the Sami people, exclusive right to use land for reindeer husbandry. In the beginning of the 2000s a project was launched to create Land Use Plans for the reindeer husbandry (in Swedish Renbruksplan, RBP), which aimed to improve the relation between reindeer owners and the forestry industry. Hence, the Land Use Plan for reindeer husbandry is primarily a program for mapping reindeer graze lands. The project is considered successful for the reindeer owners as well as for the forestry. This thesis investigates why the land use plans have improved the relations between the two stakeholders by applying Elinor Ostrom´s theory about governing commons. The aim is to illustrate possible explanatory factors to why collaboration between forestry and reindeer husbandry is found to have been improved with the introduction of the land use plans. Using a qualitative content analysis, examples of Ostrom’s design principles of autonomous and sustainable management were identified in five reports published by the National Board of Forestry in the project's final phase. In total, the reports supported that six of eight design principles had been implemented since land use plans were introduced. Two of these, clearly defined boundaries and mechanisms of conflict resolution, can be identified as possible explanatory factors for the success of the project. In conclusion, the introduction of these two principals have facilitated communication between the two stakeholders, which have ensued better understanding for each other’s situations and industries.

Esta tese investiga as relações entre os bens comuns intelectuais e a mercantilização, e os efeitos dessas relações, principalmente para o universo da educação. Seus objetivos centrais são: apresentar as principais teorias sobre bens comuns, e avaliá-las quanto à capacidade de detectar e equacionar essas relações, e quanto à adequação para abordar bens comuns intelectuais; analisar se bens comuns e mercantilização são incompatíveis, e até que ponto podem coexistir; verificando, em casos existentes de novos modelos de negócio que envolvem o compartilhamento de bens intelectuais, se a mercantilização pode surgir a partir de bens comuns intelectuais, e indicando, em caso positivo, se o saldo resultante de compartilhamento e mercantilização nesses diferentes modelos é socialmente positivo ou não. A análise da mercantilização é feita de uma perspectiva conceitual (baseada em Marx e Polanyi) e histórica, abordando a transição do feudalismo ao capitalismo (e sua relação com o cercamento dos bens comuns), a ascensão do neoliberalismo, e o avanço de mecanismos específicos de mercantilização de bens intelectuais (a propriedade intelectual e os sistemas de travas tecnológicas). A análise das teorias de bens comuns centra-se numa leitura crítica da corrente mais consolidada: a neoinstitucionalista, formada em torno dos trabalhos de Elinor Ostrom; avalia-se seus principais méritos (a refutação empírica da noção da tragédia dos comuns; e a identificação dos design principles frequentes em bens comuns longevos), pressupostos (como o individualismo metodológico e a teoria da escolha racional) e limitações (como pontos cegos em relação a poder e desigualdade, e a restrição à escala local). Discute-se ainda autores que apresentam abordagens alternativas, como aqueles mais próximos ao marxismo (e, em particular, Hardt & Negri), e as complementaridades e contrapontos que oferecem à corrente neoinstitucionalista, particularmente quanto às limitações nela identificadas. Em relação à aplicação dessas teorias a bens intelectuais, detecta-se a ampla influência da categorização econômica de bens (utilizada na corrente neoinstitucionalista), e argumenta-se pela necessidade de uma categorização mais dialética; recomenda-se ainda uma nova abordagem para o princípio das fronteiras. Discute-se as relações da educação com a mercantilização e os bens comuns, apontando os efeitos de ambos sobre as possibilidades de acesso e apropriação de bens intelectuais. Por fim, a tese apresenta e analisa cinco casos relacionados a novos modelos de negócio que envolvem compartilhamento de bens intelectuais. Conclui-se que em todos eles há a possibilidade de surgimento de mercantilização, de diversas formas, mas que o saldo resultante de mercantilização e compartilhamento varia; esses casos são, do melhor ao pior saldo: o crowdfunding (em que pode ocorrer mercantilização dos serviços de intermediação); o acesso aberto ouro (em que há mercantilização do espaço de publicação, que assume forma particularmente nociva nos periódicos predatórios); dois casos ligados à participação de empresas no desenvolvimento do software livre (o Android e os patches ck, em que os projetos podem ser direcionados na gestão e pelo custeio de modo a favorecer estrategias comerciais de empresas); e a publicidade comportamental online (em que ocorre uma mercantilização de segunda ordem: a da audiência). / This thesis investigates the relations between intellectual commons and commodification, and the effects of these relations, particularly for the domain of education. Its main objectives are: presenting the main theories about commons, and evaluating them regarding their capacity to detect and account for these relations, and regarding their adequacy to approach intellectual goods; analyzing whether commons and commodification are incompatible and up to which point they can coexist; verifying, in existing cases of new business models around the sharing of intellectual goods, if commodification can spring from within intellectual commons, and if so indicating whether the resulting balance of sharing and commodification in those different models is socially positive. The analysis of commodification is made from a conceptual perspective (based on Marx and Polanyi) and a historical one, by addressing the transition from feudalism to capitalism (and its relationship with the enclosure of the commons), the rise of neoliberalism, and the advances in mechanisms for commodification of intellectual goods (intellectual property and DRMs). The analysis of the theories about commons focuses on a critical reading of the more consolidated theoretical school: the neoinstitutionalist, formed around the work of Elinor Ostrom; its main merits are evaluated (the empirical refutation of the notion of the tragedy of the commons and the identification of design principles that are usual in long enduring commons), as well as its assumptions (such as methodological individualism and rational choice theory) and limitations (such as blind spots regarding power and inequality, and its restriction to the local scale). Authors who present alternative approaches are discussed, such as those related to Marxism (and in particular, Hardt & Negri), and the complementarities and counterpoints they offer to the neo-institutionalist schoolparticularly with regard to the limitations previously identified in itare mentioned. Regarding the application of these theories to intellectual goods, the thesis acknowledges the pervasive influence of the economic categorization of goods (used in the neo-institutionalist school), and argues for the need of a more dialectical categorization; it further recommends a new approach to the first design principle (boundaries). The linkages of education with commodification and commons are discussed, and the effects of both on the possibilities of access to and appropriation of intellectual goods are pointed out. Finally, the thesis presents and analyzes five cases related to new business models that involve sharing of intellectual goods. It is concluded that in all of them there is the possibility of the emergence of commodification, in various forms, but that the balance resulting from commodification and sharing varies; these cases are, from best to worst balance: crowdfunding (where commodification of intermediary services may occur); gold open access (where there is commodification of the publishing space, which assumes particularly harmful forms with predatory journals); two cases related to companies participation in free software development (Android and the ck patches, in which the projects can be directedthrough management and fundingto favor companies commercial strategies); and online behavioral advertising (where there occurs a commodification of second order occurs: the commodification of the audience).

Esta tese investiga as relações entre os bens comuns intelectuais e a mercantilização, e os efeitos dessas relações, principalmente para o universo da educação. Seus objetivos centrais são: apresentar as principais teorias sobre bens comuns, e avaliá-las quanto à capacidade de detectar e equacionar essas relações, e quanto à adequação para abordar bens comuns intelectuais; analisar se bens comuns e mercantilização são incompatíveis, e até que ponto podem coexistir; verificando, em casos existentes de novos modelos de negócio que envolvem o compartilhamento de bens intelectuais, se a mercantilização pode surgir a partir de bens comuns intelectuais, e indicando, em caso positivo, se o saldo resultante de compartilhamento e mercantilização nesses diferentes modelos é socialmente positivo ou não. A análise da mercantilização é feita de uma perspectiva conceitual (baseada em Marx e Polanyi) e histórica, abordando a transição do feudalismo ao capitalismo (e sua relação com o cercamento dos bens comuns), a ascensão do neoliberalismo, e o avanço de mecanismos específicos de mercantilização de bens intelectuais (a propriedade intelectual e os sistemas de travas tecnológicas). A análise das teorias de bens comuns centra-se numa leitura crítica da corrente mais consolidada: a neoinstitucionalista, formada em torno dos trabalhos de Elinor Ostrom; avalia-se seus principais méritos (a refutação empírica da noção da tragédia dos comuns; e a identificação dos design principles frequentes em bens comuns longevos), pressupostos (como o individualismo metodológico e a teoria da escolha racional) e limitações (como pontos cegos em relação a poder e desigualdade, e a restrição à escala local). Discute-se ainda autores que apresentam abordagens alternativas, como aqueles mais próximos ao marxismo (e, em particular, Hardt & Negri), e as complementaridades e contrapontos que oferecem à corrente neoinstitucionalista, particularmente quanto às limitações nela identificadas. Em relação à aplicação dessas teorias a bens intelectuais, detecta-se a ampla influência da categorização econômica de bens (utilizada na corrente neoinstitucionalista), e argumenta-se pela necessidade de uma categorização mais dialética; recomenda-se ainda uma nova abordagem para o princípio das fronteiras. Discute-se as relações da educação com a mercantilização e os bens comuns, apontando os efeitos de ambos sobre as possibilidades de acesso e apropriação de bens intelectuais. Por fim, a tese apresenta e analisa cinco casos relacionados a novos modelos de negócio que envolvem compartilhamento de bens intelectuais. Conclui-se que em todos eles há a possibilidade de surgimento de mercantilização, de diversas formas, mas que o saldo resultante de mercantilização e compartilhamento varia; esses casos são, do melhor ao pior saldo: o crowdfunding (em que pode ocorrer mercantilização dos serviços de intermediação); o acesso aberto ouro (em que há mercantilização do espaço de publicação, que assume forma particularmente nociva nos periódicos predatórios); dois casos ligados à participação de empresas no desenvolvimento do software livre (o Android e os patches ck, em que os projetos podem ser direcionados na gestão e pelo custeio de modo a favorecer estrategias comerciais de empresas); e a publicidade comportamental online (em que ocorre uma mercantilização de segunda ordem: a da audiência). / This thesis investigates the relations between intellectual commons and commodification, and the effects of these relations, particularly for the domain of education. Its main objectives are: presenting the main theories about commons, and evaluating them regarding their capacity to detect and account for these relations, and regarding their adequacy to approach intellectual goods; analyzing whether commons and commodification are incompatible and up to which point they can coexist; verifying, in existing cases of new business models around the sharing of intellectual goods, if commodification can spring from within intellectual commons, and if so indicating whether the resulting balance of sharing and commodification in those different models is socially positive. The analysis of commodification is made from a conceptual perspective (based on Marx and Polanyi) and a historical one, by addressing the transition from feudalism to capitalism (and its relationship with the enclosure of the commons), the rise of neoliberalism, and the advances in mechanisms for commodification of intellectual goods (intellectual property and DRMs). The analysis of the theories about commons focuses on a critical reading of the more consolidated theoretical school: the neoinstitutionalist, formed around the work of Elinor Ostrom; its main merits are evaluated (the empirical refutation of the notion of the tragedy of the commons and the identification of design principles that are usual in long enduring commons), as well as its assumptions (such as methodological individualism and rational choice theory) and limitations (such as blind spots regarding power and inequality, and its restriction to the local scale). Authors who present alternative approaches are discussed, such as those related to Marxism (and in particular, Hardt & Negri), and the complementarities and counterpoints they offer to the neo-institutionalist schoolparticularly with regard to the limitations previously identified in itare mentioned. Regarding the application of these theories to intellectual goods, the thesis acknowledges the pervasive influence of the economic categorization of goods (used in the neo-institutionalist school), and argues for the need of a more dialectical categorization; it further recommends a new approach to the first design principle (boundaries). The linkages of education with commodification and commons are discussed, and the effects of both on the possibilities of access to and appropriation of intellectual goods are pointed out. Finally, the thesis presents and analyzes five cases related to new business models that involve sharing of intellectual goods. It is concluded that in all of them there is the possibility of the emergence of commodification, in various forms, but that the balance resulting from commodification and sharing varies; these cases are, from best to worst balance: crowdfunding (where commodification of intermediary services may occur); gold open access (where there is commodification of the publishing space, which assumes particularly harmful forms with predatory journals); two cases related to companies participation in free software development (Android and the ck patches, in which the projects can be directedthrough management and fundingto favor companies commercial strategies); and online behavioral advertising (where there occurs a commodification of second order occurs: the commodification of the audience).