Democratise, De-commodify, Depollute: from neoliberal enterprise to the Commons movement.

The 3D&C Chair, run in partnership with UC Louvain (Belgium), explores the democratisation of production methods by combining two trends: reflection on the ‘commons' and the movement for the democratisation of enterprises. This chair is led by Isabelle FERRERAS, FNRS Research Director, Brussels, Professor of Sociology, UC Louvain, and Pierre ROBERT, Senior Lecturer in Economics, CLERSÉ, University of Lille.

Presentation of the chair:

In 2020, Isabelle Ferreras, Julie Battilana and Dominique Méda launched a global initiative to democratise work and workplaces, supported by more than 3,000 researchers and published in the press in 36 countries.

The aim was to rethink the role of businesses in society and move beyond the traditional model towards more democratic, sustainable and inclusive forms of organisation.

Two key dynamics are shaping both the economic sphere and the social sciences:

- Transformation within companies: many are seeking to strengthen their social impact and engage in ecological transition (e.g. through CSR initiatives).

- Alternative models: cooperatives, associations and organisations based on the commons that have long experimented with democratic governance.

The 3D&C Chair aims to connect and analyse these dynamics, with four main objectives:

1. To build a common framework for understanding the dynamics of democratisation within productive organisations, linking the two research programmes.

2. To analyse concrete transition practices and identify common obstacles encountered by organisations involved in these processes.

3. Develop practical tools and policy recommendations to support democratisation within productive systems.

4. Establish a strong research team between the University of Lille and UC Louvain to ensure critical mass and long-term collaboration.