Questioning the Commons: Resource Utilization in a Landscape of Overlapping Laws

Abstract

"The study is set on a volcanic island in Melanesia, and focuses on tropical forests and marine ecosystems. The land is held communally by lineage but within this communal area is almost every conceivable permutation of 'property'/'ownership', calling into question just how 'communal' the communal land tenure is. Primarily a case study, the paper will also touch upon theoretical issues, such as the importance of recognizing that CPR systems may involve intricate interrelations between numberable political, economic, social, religious, and ecological forces that are constantly transforming in space and in time."