Commons and Public Partnership: Legitimizing a Commons Political Sphere (In Common) - Hardcover

Khonsari, Torange

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1350446319 ISBN 13: 9781350446311

Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic, 2026

Synopsis

Commons and Public Partnership reimagines the commons as a dynamic third political sphere, one that bridges the gap between the household and the state. Torange Khonsari shows how cultural practices can activate communities, creating neighbourhood-based commons systems that challenge conventional governance. Drawing on local experiences, Khonsari addresses pressing societal issues, from citizen apathy and institutional distrust, to the lack of awareness around creative practices that can transform political engagement. By repositioning the neighbourhood as a decentralized arena for decision-making, this book advocates for a commons/public partnership model in place of the dominant private/public paradigm. Rich in theory and grounded in practice, Commons and Public Partnership blends insights from urbanism, public art, architecture, psychology, politics, anthropology, and sociology with practical design methodologies—offering a bold, interdisciplinary framework for rethinking civic life.

About this title

About the Author

Torange Khonsari is a chartered designer, an expert adviser for the Design Council, chair of the ethics committee at the Design Museum and has taught architecture in universities in the UK and internationally. She co-founded the practice Public Works - UK. She is also co-director of the Centre for Applied Research in Empowering Society at London Metropolitan University, UK.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1350446319
• ISBN 13: 9781350446311
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 274