ABSTRACT
This chapter reflects on the learning potential of cooperatives from an organisational education perspective. Based on the principles of the International Cooperative Association, the chapter addresses the typical problems, especially of traditional cooperatives. Core and well-documented problem areas include changes in membership commitment, risks of losing democratic participation, the potential lack of organisational learning, the gap between laypeople and technocrats, or the risk of losing the cooperatives’ ethos. The chapter examines how commoning can be viewed as a solution approach to the problems and learning challenges faced by cooperatives. Introducing the learning methodology of the pattern language of commoning, the chapter discusses its potential for organisational learning. Based on a threefold notion of democratisation, the chapter suggests a pattern language of a commoning approach to both traditional and ‘new’ cooperatives’ learning and commoning organising.
