Radical Municipalism
The Politics of the Common and the Democratization of Public Services
Bristol University Press
1st Edition
Published on 26. February 2026
Book
Hardback
300 pages
978-1-5292-3690-3 (ISBN)
Description
Radical Municipalism offers a fresh perspective on the democratizing capacity of the politics of the common in the transformation of public services, aiming to foster social change at the local level and beyond.
Building on a strong theoretical foundation and featuring 14 original case studies from Europe and the Americas, the chapters explore the challenges and possibilities of implementing common-based strategies. A unique and vital resource, this book is essential for scholars and activists interested in the democratic road to socialism as an alternative to capitalism.
Building on a strong theoretical foundation and featuring 14 original case studies from Europe and the Americas, the chapters explore the challenges and possibilities of implementing common-based strategies. A unique and vital resource, this book is essential for scholars and activists interested in the democratic road to socialism as an alternative to capitalism.
Reviews / Votes
"Grounded in post-crisis new municipalist experiences, this excellent collection fuses Poulantzas's democratic socialism with commons-based solutions for democratic alternatives beyond capitalism", Andrew Cumbers, University of Glasgow. "Radical Municipalism illuminates how towns and cities can reclaim public services, reorganize economies, and democratize power, prefiguring a hopeful post-capitalist future rooted in proximity and collective self-government", Joan Subirats, Emeritus University of Barcelona.More details
Series
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Bristol
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
3 s/w Tabellen, 6 s/w Abbildungen
3 Tables, black and white; 6 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
594 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5292-3690-3 (9781529236903)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Radical Municipalism
The Politics of the Common and the Democratization of Public Services
E-Book
02/2026
1st Edition
Bristol University Press
€40.99
Available for download
Persons
Iolanda Bianchi is an urban and political sociologist. Her research focuses on the interplay between public and collective action at the urban scale and examines how this interplay generates governance, policy and social change to achieve more just, equitable and democratic cities. She currently holds a Ramon y Cajal Research Fellowship at the University of Barcelona.
Bertie Russell is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona. His work focuses on ecosocial transition, alternative organisation and the politics of the common. He is co-director of Abundance, promoting public-common strategies to democratise the economy and support a just ecological transition.
Bertie Russell is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona. His work focuses on ecosocial transition, alternative organisation and the politics of the common. He is co-director of Abundance, promoting public-common strategies to democratise the economy and support a just ecological transition.
Content
Foreword - Ismael Blanco and Ricard Goma
1. From New Municipalism to the Radical Municipalist Hypothesis: Rethinking the Public Through the Politics of the Common - Iolanda Bianchi and Bertie Russell
Part I: Orientations
2. The Radical Municipalist Hypothesis - Bertie Russell, Laura Roth and Matthew Thompson
3. The Democratizing Potential of the Politics of the Common: The Becoming- Common of Public Services - Iolanda Bianchi
Part II: Barcelona
4. Beyond Self-Management in Public-Common Partnerships: The Citizen Assets Programme - Iolanda Bianchi
5. Governing Jauja: Informality, Urban Bordering and Social Innovation in Barcelona - Carlos Delclos
6. Evolving Policy Communities for Public-Cooperative Housing Commons in New Municipalist Barcelona - Mara Ferreri and Lorenzo Vidal
7. Energy Commoning in Barcelona: A Review of Current Experiences - Anais Varo and Marco Aparicio Wilhelmi
8. Democratising Social Care: On Care Neighbourhoods in Barcelona - David Palomera and Angelina Kussy
Part III: Europe
9. Pharmaceuticals in Common? Public-Common Partnerships in the French Pharmaceutical Sector - Bertie Russell, Keir Milburn and Kai Heron
10. Is There Sunlight at the End of the Pipeline? The Case of Solarna Stara, Serbia - Ana Dzokic, Dragan Djunda, Marc Neelen
11. Recommoning Water: Terrassa's Citizen-Driven Remunicipalisation - Dona Geagea, Maria Kaika and Jampel Dell'Angelo
12. Hacking 'Technical' Decision-Making as a New Municipalist Strategy: The Case of Neapolitan Urban Commons - Francesca De Tullio and Giuseppe Micciarelli
13. "Deutsche Wohnen & Co Enteignen" in Berlin: Socializing Housing at a Large Scale - Isabel Feichtner, Susanne Heeg and Tim Wihl
Part IV: The Americas
14. The California Public Banking Movement - Thomas M. Hanna and Aaryaman Singhal
15. Social Control and Public Water: Transformative Participation in Cochabamba's Water Remunicipalization - Nasya S. Razavi
16. Education as Commons: Social Management in a Radical Educational Initiative in Rosario, Argentina - Marilin Lopez Fittipaldi and Gabriel Silvestre
17. Commoning With and Against the State: Lessons From Ecuador's Deep Periphery - Karin Friederic and Brian J. Burke
18. Towards a Democratic Road to Socialism: Scale, Law, and Ownership in the Radical Municipalist Hypothesis - Iolanda Bianchi and Bertie Russell
1. From New Municipalism to the Radical Municipalist Hypothesis: Rethinking the Public Through the Politics of the Common - Iolanda Bianchi and Bertie Russell
Part I: Orientations
2. The Radical Municipalist Hypothesis - Bertie Russell, Laura Roth and Matthew Thompson
3. The Democratizing Potential of the Politics of the Common: The Becoming- Common of Public Services - Iolanda Bianchi
Part II: Barcelona
4. Beyond Self-Management in Public-Common Partnerships: The Citizen Assets Programme - Iolanda Bianchi
5. Governing Jauja: Informality, Urban Bordering and Social Innovation in Barcelona - Carlos Delclos
6. Evolving Policy Communities for Public-Cooperative Housing Commons in New Municipalist Barcelona - Mara Ferreri and Lorenzo Vidal
7. Energy Commoning in Barcelona: A Review of Current Experiences - Anais Varo and Marco Aparicio Wilhelmi
8. Democratising Social Care: On Care Neighbourhoods in Barcelona - David Palomera and Angelina Kussy
Part III: Europe
9. Pharmaceuticals in Common? Public-Common Partnerships in the French Pharmaceutical Sector - Bertie Russell, Keir Milburn and Kai Heron
10. Is There Sunlight at the End of the Pipeline? The Case of Solarna Stara, Serbia - Ana Dzokic, Dragan Djunda, Marc Neelen
11. Recommoning Water: Terrassa's Citizen-Driven Remunicipalisation - Dona Geagea, Maria Kaika and Jampel Dell'Angelo
12. Hacking 'Technical' Decision-Making as a New Municipalist Strategy: The Case of Neapolitan Urban Commons - Francesca De Tullio and Giuseppe Micciarelli
13. "Deutsche Wohnen & Co Enteignen" in Berlin: Socializing Housing at a Large Scale - Isabel Feichtner, Susanne Heeg and Tim Wihl
Part IV: The Americas
14. The California Public Banking Movement - Thomas M. Hanna and Aaryaman Singhal
15. Social Control and Public Water: Transformative Participation in Cochabamba's Water Remunicipalization - Nasya S. Razavi
16. Education as Commons: Social Management in a Radical Educational Initiative in Rosario, Argentina - Marilin Lopez Fittipaldi and Gabriel Silvestre
17. Commoning With and Against the State: Lessons From Ecuador's Deep Periphery - Karin Friederic and Brian J. Burke
18. Towards a Democratic Road to Socialism: Scale, Law, and Ownership in the Radical Municipalist Hypothesis - Iolanda Bianchi and Bertie Russell