Commoning in the Anthropocene: Exploring the political possibility of caring with in Skouries of Halkidiki, Greece

Abstract

As the planet moves further into the human-induced Anthropocene there is an urgent need to reconsider the values, practices, and politics leading to widespread ecological degradation. The prioritisation of economic growth by the most dominant political institutions encourages limitless expansion while minimizing awareness of the ecological vulnerability of the planet. Commoning presents an alternative political structure based on transformative practices of collective care or caring with. In this paper, we investigate how communities in Skouries of Halkidiki, Greece, are responding to the imposition of large-scale mining through three different commons initiatives. The women's collective, the chamomile commons, and the ten-day festival. These commons provide insights into how instances of caring with performed by human and nonhuman others are the foundations of local place-based politics. We argue that already existing examples of commoning and caring with can make visible a more fitting politics for the Anthropocene that can benefit decision-making at national and international levels.