Tapestry of the Commons v. Corporate Plunder for Profit: Whose Rules?

There is new focus on “the commons” as corporations and individuals commodify almost every aspect of nature and culture creation. We can not stand by as our shared “commonwealth” is turned into private property for global investors and the financial elite to profit. The central questions raised in this workshop are: what is “the commons,” what aspect of nature and culture creation should be part of the “the commons,” and what principles should apply to the use and sharing of “the commons.” Participants will create the Tapestry of the Commons by weaving together sets of ribbons that represent aspects of nature and of culture to envision how they are interwoven and interdependent. Using interactive exercises participants will explore, how, for example, media, literature, movies, and advertising condition how we think about nature, what “rules," creations of culture, should apply to nature; who should be making these rules? This workshop is suited to teachers looking for new, creative ways to explore these and many other questions with Elementary and Middle School students. The answers hold the keys to protecting and sharing the commons of nature on which all life depends, safeguarding our human culture, and advancing community democracy and the rights of nature over corporate plunder.