The commons is an ancient social form that has survived for centuries, constantly renewing itself. It can be seen in indigenous agriculture and community forests, Bolivian water committees and high-tech FabLabs, theater commons and the Burning Man festival. Commoners are taking charge of their lives through networks that are designing open-source farm equipment....alternative currencies that are reviving troubled neighborhoods in Kenya....and collaborative maps that are helping build a new economy.What accounts for the persistence and spread of "commoning," the irrepressible desire of people to collaborate and share to meet everyday needs? How are the more successful projects governed? And why are so many people embracing the commons as a powerful strategy for building a fair, humane and Earth-respecting social order?In more than fifty original essays, Patterns of Commoning addresses these questions and probes the complexities of this timeless social paradigm.