How and why do communities self-organize to create enduring and adaptive governance systems support community well-being over time? This course is led by scholars working with community-based natural resource management and the International Association for the Study of the Commons, an organization devoted to "bringing together multi-disciplinary researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for the purpose of improving governance and management, advancing understanding, and creating sustainable solutions for commons, common-pool resources, or any other form of shared resource." Drawing on commons scholarship, this course seeks to bridge a gap in understanding of how cooperative governance contributes to sustainability at multiple scales, for natural resource management (e.g., agriculture, fisheries, forestry, water, pastoralism, etc.) and other forms of commons (e.g., housing commons, urban commons, knowledge commons, etc.) The class takes inspiration from historians, social scientists, political theorists, and advocates dedicated to the collective care for the commons, as well as from cooperative housing institutions operating on our campus. The first portion of the course will introduce students to fundamental principles of the commons and commoning, and explore current directions in commons research and practice. The second portion of the course will focus on case studies and project work investigating student interests around the commons, commoning, self-organizing for collaborative governance. The course will be offered for 1-3 units, as is appropriate for both graduate and undergraduate students. This class has been designated as a Cardinal Course by the Haas Center for Public Service. Cardinal Courses apply classroom knowledge to social and environmental challenges through reciprocal community partnerships. Interested students can apply the units earned in this course to the Cardinal Service Notation (https://cardinalservice.stanford.edu/opportunities/cardinal-service-notation).
1-3 units · Letter (ABCD/NP)
How and why do communities self-organize to create enduring and adaptive governance systems support community well-being over time? This course is led by scholars working with community-based natural resource management and the International Association for the Study of the Commons, an organization devoted to "bringing together multi-disciplinary researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for the purpose of improving governance and management, advancing understanding, and creating sustainable solutions for commons, common-pool resources, or any other form of shared resource." Drawing on commons scholarship, this course seeks to bridge a gap in understanding of how cooperative governance contributes to sustainability at multiple scales, for natural resource management (e.g., agriculture, fisheries, forestry, water, pastoralism, etc.) and other forms of commons (e.g., housing commons, urban commons, knowledge commons, etc.) The class takes inspiration from historians, social scientists, political theorists, and advocates dedicated to the collective care for the commons, as well as from cooperative housing institutions operating on our campus. The first portion of the course will introduce students to fundamental principles of the commons and commoning, and explore current directions in commons research and practice. The second portion of the course will focus on case studies and project work investigating student interests around the commons, commoning, self-organizing for collaborative governance. The course will be offered for 1-3 units, as is appropriate for both graduate and undergraduate students. This class has been designated as a Cardinal Course by the Haas Center for Public Service. Cardinal Courses apply classroom knowledge to social and environmental challenges through reciprocal community partnerships. Interested students can apply the units earned in this course to the Cardinal Service Notation (https://cardinalservice.stanford.edu/opportunities/cardinal-service-notation).
Offered in Winter 2026 at Stanford University.