Introduction: the global idea of 'the commons' / Donald M. Nonini -- Collectivism, universalism, and struggles over common property resources in the 'new Europe' / John Pickles -- 'The commons' in an Amazonian context / Flora Lu -- The genetic commons: resisting the neo-liberal enclosure of life / Stephen B. Scharper and Hilary Cunningham -- Reflections on intellectual commons / Donald M. Nonini -- Reinventing the Appalachian commons / Jefferson C. Boyer -- Conceiving the health commons: operationalizing a 'right' to health / Sandy Smith-Nonini -- Notes on contributors.