Urban commons in Cerro Barón, Valparaíso, Chile: networks, resignification, and provision
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22320/07183607.2025.28.52.07Keywords:
urban commons, provision, resignification, governance, inter-hill nodesAbstract
This article examines the emergence of urban commons (UC) as development alternatives in cities and as responses to the limitations of the State and the market in providing mechanisms and means for communities to collectively access goods. Three cases are studied in Barón Hill (Cerro Barón) in Valparaiso: a space for memory and culture, a local space for community and territorial organizations, and a garden/soup kitchen. Through semi-structured interviews with organization members, institutional representatives, and informants from other hills, the results reveal mechanisms of dispute, appropriation, and resignification of urban/neighborhood spaces, along with the revitalization of abandoned areas, and the formation of a community-strengthening network featuring "inter-hill" nodes that facilitate the exchange of information and experiences. This research contributes to understanding the governance and political economy of urban commons, demonstrating that the role and scale of neighborhood organizations can significantly influence decision-making and provisioning processes in the city, both at specific moments and on a permanent basis.
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