Social Enterprises and Institutions for Collective Action

National Commons Assembly - Brussels
2026-03-07 09:00 - 17:30 (Europe/Paris)
Commons in Belgium are invited to join the national gathering in Brussels. The goal is to facilitate cross-pollination between commons-oriented projects in Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia.

​Program – Stories from several commons– Keynotes by Tine de Moor and Peter De Pauw– Conversation between storytellers, the speakers and the audience– Two rounds of workshops by participants

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Research Day of IOS Platform 'Bottom-up Initiatives for Societal Change'
2026-03-19 12:30 - 17:00
This research day facilitates the interdisciplinary sharing of expertise and helps to create (new) networks and collaborations. Researchers affiliated with the IOS platform will present their work and professor Tine De Moor (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University) will give a keynote lecture on the maturation of citizen collectives in the Netherlands. She will explore how these initiatives have grown into a diverse and influential movement shaping energy, housing, care and food systems through democratic governance, local stewardship and long‑term community orientation. Their evolution shows that such collectives are not a temporary trend, but a vital complementary governance form whose impact on just and sustainable transitions is increasingly visible across Dutch society.

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Location: Minnaert Building, Leuvenlaan 4, room 2.02

Entrance if free of charge, prior registration however is requested because limited seating

VLG Symposium - Commons in agriculture and forestry
2026-03-26 14:00 - 17:30
This symposium explores the history, function, and legacy of commons, especially in the Dutch context. It examines how commons operated historically, their institutional mechanisms, and their relevance today.

Professor Tine De Moor’s will give a lecture, focusing on the renewed interest in commons as alternatives to state and market governance. She critically assesses how historical knowledge about commons is often used uncritically or inconsistently in modern discourse. Her talk asks: What can we truly learn from historical commons? Which mechanisms ensured their sustainability? And how do they compare to other forms of collective organization in the past?

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This event will be in Dutch. Find the complete program below.

Programma VLG symposium 2026Download

CollectieveKracht - Citizen collectives and the market: between clashing logics and innovative collaboration
2026-05-12 12:30 - 18:00
Over the past years, citizen collectives have grown into visible players in sectors such as energy, healthcare, housing, and food. What does their rise mean for how we organize our economy? The next CollectieveKracht event (in Dutch) will dive into this question with a keynote from Professor Irene van Staveren (ISS, Erasmus University) and five parallel interactive sessions.

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This event will take place at the Lindenberg Cultuurhuis in Nijmegen. This event is made possible by the municipality of Nijmegen.

DescriptionCitizen collectives seem to follow a different institutional logic than the market, but their actual relationship with the market is not always so clear. They redistribute economic power, potentially reduce dependence on major market players, and can even discipline markets through price pressure or new norms. At the same time, their increasing numbers raise important tensions. Does competition arise between collective and commercial providers—and is that desirable? What happens when collectives professionalize? What happens when they make a profit? Can they use market mechanisms without losing their own values, or does mission drift threaten once financial sustainability becomes more important?

This event brings together scientists, policymakers, practical experts, and representatives of citizen collectives to explore these questions in depth. For everyone who wants to understand how the economy and society are reinventing themselves from the ground up.

Let's Talk Sustainability - RSM-GBS Alumni event
2026-06-12 13:30 - 18:30
What does sustainability look like in an increasingly turbulent world? The Business-Society Management department of Erasmus University Rotterdam is organizing an afternoon event on this theme, exploring perspectives from academia, business, and society.

The world faces a polycrisis: interconnected risks that demand new strategies to become future-proof. Profound societal and technological transformations are redefining business models, reshaping stakeholder relationships, and shifting expectations toward greater sustainability, resilience, and inclusion.

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These turbulent times put global value chains under pressure. Geopolitical shifts are redefining the position of the European Union, and the future of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other international initiatives is actively debated. These developments challenge traditional ways of doing business and call for new forms of resilience, collaboration, and engaged research in a rapidly changing world. What could this look like? Eight speakers will share their insights and explore these questions.

The program will kick-off with a lecture bij Professor Tine De Moor, titled: ‘Social enterprises and collective action – creating new business models?‘

Program

13:30-14:00 Registration

14:00-15:00 Academic perspective

Prof. Dr. Tine de Moor (RSM Faculty)

Prof. Rob van Tulder (Emeritius, Ex-RSM Faculty)

Dr. Ferran Torres (RSM Faculty)

15:00-16:00 Corporate perspective

Robert van Raamsdonk (Barry Callebaut, RSM alumnus)

Marlies Overbeeke (FrieslandCampina, RSM alumna)

16:00-17:00 Societal perspective

Francisca Hubeek (Oikocredit Netherlands, RSM alumna)

Max van Gaalen (BDO Sustainability, RSM alumnus)

Ronald Wormgoor (NL Representative in Brussels, RSM alumnus)

17:00-18:30 Drinks

Symposium - Community contributions to societal challenges: Why they matter and how they work
2026-06-17 09:15 - 15:00
Community participation is vital for well-functioning societies. Both in academic circles and in societal institutions, there is lively debate and experimentation with various forms of community participation. These can range from community initiatives to citizen councils and other cooperative arrangements where people get together. Community engagement is crucial for creating support for societal transitions and for building trust between citizens and institutions. Importantly, it gives people the opportunity to take part in dialogue with politicians and policymakers and get involved in creating solutions for wicked problems. However, there is still much uncertainty about how communities become empowered to contribute in a way that allows for genuine involvement. In this symposium, we will explore emerging ways for community voices to be heard. We will examine how communities can foster a lively democracy and build societies where everyone can flourish, while also investigating how (local) governments can effectively enable and engage their citizens. What are the most promising models for collective action? And do these citizen initiatives even need government support to succeed?

As part of the program, Professor Tine De Moor (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University) will give a presentation.

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Organizers: Denise de Ridder, Marleen Gillebaart, Lars Tummers & John de Wit on behalf of the Behavior & Institutions platform at Utrecht University

Location: Centraal Museum (Entrance: Nicolaasdwarsstraat 14, 3512 XH Utrecht)

View the complete program below

BI Symposium 17 juni_ProgramDownload

Online lecture by Dr. Ismael Vaccaro - The Legal Transformations of the Commons in the Catalan Pyrenees
2026-06-23 15:00 - 16:00
Prof. Ismael Vaccaro (CSIC) presents his research about the history of Catalan Commons. The presentation is titled “The Legal Transformations of the Commons in the Catalan Pyrenees: from the Middle Ages until the twenty-first century”.

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Ismael Vaccaro will give the lecture from Campus Woudestein in Rotterdam. Would you like to attend the lecture in person and then chat afterwards during drinks at the Paviljoen? Please contact us via collective-action@rsm.nl. There is limited space on location.

About Prof. Ismael VaccaroDr. Ismael Vaccaro holds a BA anthropology (Universidad de Barcelona), a BA in Political Sciences (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona), a MA in social anthropology and ethnology (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris), and a MA and a PhD in Environmental Anthropology (University of Washington, Seattle). His research interests include environmental anthropology, political ecology, property theory, landscape analysis, the tensions between the rural and the urban, development and globalization, political and economic anthropology, conservation policies, climate change, post-industrial spaces, anthropology of mining, and urban-rural interactions. He has conducted research in Europe, Mexico, Solomon Islands, and the lakes of Uganda. He was full professor at the McGill University until very recently and he is currently a senior researcher at the Institució Milà i Fontanals of the Spanish National research Council (CSIC) in Barcelona.

AbstractThe Pyrenean landscape is covered by a complex and patchy property mosaic where collective forms of property are still abundant. Many of these patches of land are often referred to as commons by locals, academics, and politicians alike. In truth, however, although most of these mountains were held in common until as late as the mid nineteenth century, several waves of aggressive territorializing policies implemented by the Spanish State, changed the legal status of the vast majority of these lands. Nowadays most of the old commons belong to the state via the municipalities or the regional governments, or are private land belonging to societies of owners. All along this process of ownership modification, in theory, the local communities kept some of their usufruct rights on these lands. Interestingly, where these usufruct rights have been upheld, the socioeconomic organization used by the villages has closely followed the old commons’ structure and rules. The contracts that created the societies of owners, also set up use rules that resonate with the previous communal model. In addition, in the last twenty years, some municipalities have issued regulations recuperating or mimicking some of the manners of the old commons. The goal of this article is to track down the history of the complex legal activity that has transformed the legal standing of the old commons, as well as the survival of some of its characteristics under these new legal skins.

VNG Knowledge Day - with lecture by prof. Tine De Moor
2026-06-26 09:00 - 17:00
Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) organizes a knowledge exchange event. As part of the program, professor Tine De Moor will give a lecture titled: ‘Citizen collectives in action: stronger together with municipalities‘.

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About the eventJoin colleagues from municipalities across the country for an inspiring Knowledge Day filled with fresh insights, practical tools, and meaningful connections. As municipalities navigate major societal challenges—from livelihood security, healthy aging, equal opportunities, climate and energy, and safety to digitalization and the future of local governance—this event brings together policy makers, strategists, implementers, and governance professionals to explore solutions that shape tomorrow’s municipal practice. Start the day with engaging masterclasses led by renowned speakers who translate today’s complex issues into actionable local strategies, then dive into an energetic afternoon festival of knowledge featuring talks, podcasts, pitches, lectures, interactive games, and dynamic discussion formats. At the vibrant Knowledge Square, exchange ideas with experts and peers, discover new perspectives, and return to your municipality with valuable inspiration and immediately applicable knowledge.

Find more information about the program here

About the lecture by The MoorIncreasingly, residents are taking the initiative themselves to tackle societal issues – from healthcare and energy to neighborhood livability. But how can municipalities effectively align with this? And how do you ensure a collaboration where responsibility is truly shared? In this lecture, Professor Tine de Moor (Erasmus University Rotterdam) explains how municipalities can support and strengthen citizen collectives without taking over. When do you give space, and when do you intervene? What does this require of policy, organization, and attitude?

Festive Launch of the Essay Collection 'Vuurproef voor democratie'
2026-07-09 16:00 - 18:00
On 9 July, the essay collection Vuurproef voor Democatie will be officially launched in The Hague. The volume brings together 18 essays exploring the climate crisis as a challenge for democracy, the rule of law, and public governance. SEICA research group team members Tine De Moor and Lukas Held co-authored one of the essays.

Their contribution, titled “Bottom-Up Sustainability: Collective Engagement as a Foundation for Societal Transitions,” examines how citizen collectives can contribute to major societal transitions, including the transition to a more sustainable society. The authors argue that the climate itself is not a ‘common‘ according to Elinor Ostrom’s definition. However, citizen collectives can jointly govern shared resources and services such as energy, mobility, and land. It is through these tangible, community-led initiatives that they can make a significant contribution to sustainability and climate change mitigation.

The festive launch of the essay collection will take place on 9 July, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., in The Hague.

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VNG Knowledge Day - with lecture by prof. Tine De Moor
2026-10-16 09:00 - 17:00
Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) organizes a knowledge exchange event. As part of the program, professor Tine De Moor will give a lecture titled: ‘Citizen collectives in action: stronger together with municipalities‘.

About the eventJoin colleagues from municipalities across the country for an inspiring Knowledge Day filled with fresh insights, practical tools, and meaningful connections. As municipalities navigate major societal challenges—from livelihood security, healthy aging, equal opportunities, climate and energy, and safety to digitalization and the future of local governance—this event brings together policy makers, strategists, implementers, and governance professionals to explore solutions that shape tomorrow’s municipal practice. Start the day with engaging masterclasses led by renowned speakers who translate today’s complex issues into actionable local strategies, then dive into an energetic afternoon festival of knowledge featuring talks, podcasts, pitches, lectures, interactive games, and dynamic discussion formats. At the vibrant Knowledge Square, exchange ideas with experts and peers, discover new perspectives, and return to your municipality with valuable inspiration and immediately applicable knowledge.

Find more information about the program here

About the lecture by The MoorIncreasingly, residents are taking the initiative themselves to tackle societal issues – from healthcare and energy to neighborhood livability. But how can municipalities effectively align with this? And how do you ensure a collaboration where responsibility is truly shared? In this lecture, Professor Tine de Moor (Erasmus University Rotterdam) explains how municipalities can support and strengthen citizen collectives without taking over. When do you give space, and when do you intervene? What does this require of policy, organization, and attitude?
