Common lands and their inhabitants in action
The common lands that exist in France are found in rural areas – and particularly in the mountains – notably under the name of ‘communaux’ (as a form of collective land ownership system). They have different forms and names depending on the region they are located in (e.g. sections de commune, bourgeoisies, communaux cultifs, cayolars…). They are still existing in other european countries with other names.
With the emergence of current socio-ecological and climatic challenges, this model appears more relevant than ever, in times of crisis, to think about reinforcing and adapting it to today’s society. This model is inspiring both in legal and social terms and it also represents a useful way of living in one’s territory (environmental preservation, food self-sufficiency, natural risks prevention, energy transition).
This collaborative website points out what collective properties are doing. The know-how of inhabitants and innovations generated in the context of territorial arrangements deserve to be described and highlighted. It is supported by the scientific project VALCOM ( https://www.fac-droit.univ-smb.fr/fr/2023/02/projet-valcom/ ).
To go further
Bibliography:
Bourjol M., Communal property, journey to the center of collective property, LGDJ, 1989, 452 p.
Grossi P., Un altro modo di possedere, L'emersione di forme alternative di proprietà alla coscienza giuridica postunitaria, Milan, Giuffrè, 1977, 392 p.
Gutwirth S., “The commons: with, despite or against the law? », The Journal of the Courts, 2022, n° 6913, p. 583.
Joye J.-F. (dir.), The commons in the 21st century. A collective property between history and modernity, Presses de l'USMB, 2021, 810 p.
F. Marinelli, Un'altra proprieta. Usi civici, assetti fondiari collettivi, beni comuni, 2a ed., Pacini Giuridica, 2019.
Edward Cousins E, Honey R, Craddock H, Gadsden & Cousins on Commons and Greens, 3rd ed., Sweet & Maxwell, 2020
T. Haller et alii, Balancing the Commons in Switzerland: Institutional Transformations and Sustainable Innovations, Routledge, 2021
A. Crosetti, J.-F. Joye, eds. “The commons and the mountain. What relationships? What influence? », Journal of Alpine Geography, n° 109-1, 2021.
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