The Walking Reading Group: On Commons
An edition of four walks on the subject of ‘Commons’, SPACE Mare St, Wed 29 Jun, Wed 6, 13, 20 Jul, 6 - 9pm

Meeting at SPACE Mare St
Event: Wed 29 Jun, Wed 6, 13, 20 Jul, 6 - 9pm

The Walking Reading Group (TWRG) on Commons offers a chance to discuss the many perspectives related to this complex theory while walking a contextual and predetermined route starting in Hackney. The selected texts for each walk provide shared references to delve into separate areas of discourse on the commons: resource, governing process and community. For this edition, an invited guest will activate the strand of focus for each walk: Rosanna Thompson and Tatiana Baskakova, New Cross Commoners; Michael Smythe, Phytology; Alex Colas, and Russell Miller, Tree Musketeers. Texts are provided in advance and walks begin at SPACE Mare Street where participants can also pick up a copy of the specially commissioned publication.

The resulting experience of walking for up to two hours, swapping conversation partners and perspectives several times, is one of intimacy created through sharing and listening, the respect for ideas and difference. Thoughts are processed quickly, the surrounding landscape becomes a blur, time is suspended and within this moment bonds between strangers are formed.

A commissioned essay on the commons edition of The Walking Reading Group, written by Maru Rojas, is available online and in the accompanying publication

Each walk is underpinned by a selection of texts that explore the theme of commons from multiple points of views. All four walks start at SPACE but each finishes in a different part of East London. Exact finish location will be disclosed later in June.

Walk 1 with guests Rosanna Thompson and Tatiana Baskakova, New Cross Commoners; walk 2 with guest Michael Smythe, Phytology; walk 3 with guest Alex Colas; and walk 4 with guest Russell Miller, Tree Musketeers.

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The Walking Reading Group (TWRG) is a collective project (started in 2013) run by Lydia Ashman (London), Ania Bas (London) and Simone Mair (Bolzano) that facilitates knowledge exchange in an intimate and dynamic way through discussing texts whilst walking together. In this reading group the table is broken up by the street and the dominant voice is replaced with conversation partners talking simultaneously. Anyone can participate and the walks are free to attend.