Chernysheva L. (2020) Onlayn i ofl ayn konfl ikty vokrug gorodskoy sovmestnosti: zabota o gorodskom prostranstve na territorii bol’shogo zhilogo kompleksa [Online and offl ine confl icts around urban commons: caring for urban space in the territory of a large housing estate]. Zhurnal sotsiologii i sotsialnoy antropologii [The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology], 23(2): 36–66 (in Russian). https: ...

Abstract

Th e article provides an analysis of urban collective initiatives performed by residents of a large housing estate Severnaya Dolina (St. Petersburg, Russia). Becoming visible to each other, the initiative groups collide and get into strategic interactions; they represent individual or complex ‘players’ operating in ‘arenas’, or online and offl ine interaction platforms. To analyze everyday practices of self-governance and caring for common spaces and infrastructures in the neighborhood, the author elaborates on the concept of urban commons. Digital neighboring network created by the residents on VK.com plays an important role in managing the common spaces and infrastructures of the large housing estate. Th e article demonstrates how these digital platforms are involved in the processes of creating and maintaining the boundaries that demark both commoning resource and the groups of commoners. A concept of distributed commoning is proposed in the article: it makes visible the variety of elements involved in (re) production of urban commons and consider both the technological features of digital platforms and their impact on commoning practices and the characteristics of emerging communities. Th e study suggests that the emerging communities of commoners are multiple, heterogeneous, fl uid, and oft en confl icting. Th e article provides an analysis of urban collective initiatives performed byresidents of a large housing estate Severnaya Dolina (St. Petersburg, Russia). Becomingvisible to each other, the initiative groups collide and get into strategic interactions; theyrepresent individual or complex ‘players’ operating in ‘arenas’, or online and offl ineinteraction platforms. To analyze everyday practices of self-governance and caring forcommon spaces and infrastructures in the neighborhood, the author elaborates on theconcept of urban commons. Digital neighboring network created by the residents onVK.com plays an important role in managing the common spaces and infrastructures ofthe large housing estate. Th e article demonstrates how these digital platforms are involvedin the processes of creating and maintaining the boundaries that demark bothcommoning resource and the groups of commoners. A concept of distributed commoningis proposed in the article: it makes visible the variety of elements involved in (re)production of urban commons and consider both the technological features of digitalplatforms and their impact on commoning practices and the characteristics of emergingcommunities. Th e study suggests that the emerging communities of commoners aremultiple, heterogeneous, fl uid, and oft en confl icting.