Decommodifying Public Space in Italian Cities. the Temporal Embeddedness of Modest Collective Action.

The problem of urban public spaces is fundamentally concerned with their public dimension. The public nature and accessibility of these spaces can often be perceived as intimidating, with historical issues of violence, exclusion, and the "tragedy of the commons" persisting in their wake. Occasionally, there is even an attitude of repulsion or avoidance towards public spaces. What strategies can cities and community-based organizations employ to enhance the quality of public spaces and improve their accessibility, safety, and inclusivity? Cities are frequently seduced by the enclosure of spaces and the commodification of public space, or alternatively, by the dystopian prospect of camera surveillance to maintain public order. Implementing these policies has resulted in notable consequences, including the exclusion of specific groups and perpetuating social injustice. As a result, these policies have effectively led to the appropriation of public space by specific groups to the detriment of the broader local community.

In order to gain further insight into the phenomenon of decommodification in urban contexts, we revisited the Neo-Weberian and Polanyan traditions in urban sociology. Our research focused on seven Italian cities where forms of decommodification have emerged and taken root over time. 168 interviews were conducted, and 35 participant observation sessions were completed. In contrast to existing literature that focuses on policy design and legal theory in the analysis of commoning, this study aims to empirically examine how the interaction between associations and local governments has shaped the management of everyday practices. The findings reveal the emergence of governance traits that are not primarily strategic but rather adaptive and incremental: participatory management modalities, where community contractual instruments (Collaboration Pacts and Local Community-based Enterprises) support mid-range innovations & complex forms of social exchange in collective action, modest and incremental reciprocity which in turn reinforce their embeddedness over time.