An instituting-organisational framework for the interpretation of urban commoning. Lessons from a neighbourhood park

Drawing on critical scholarship on commoning processes, this article aims to contribute to the debate by reflecting on an argumentative case that took place in a neighbourhood public park on the northern outskirts of the city of Catania in Italy. Based on our direct engagement in such a process, we discuss the rise and fall of this ‘commoning attempt’, with the aim of reflecting on the possibilities and the pitfalls associated with the collective effort to take care of a neglected space. The case is discussed using a theoretical framework developed intersecting Argyris' theory of organisational learning and Esposito’s ‘instituting thought’ applied to urban planning. Through the narrative of the main stages of a nine-month process, using a variety of sources of evidence – our field notes, archival materials, etc. –, we discuss some key elements to contribute to the advancement of the disciplinary debate on the possibilities opened by the instituting-organisational approach.