History-Making from Below: Exploring Motivation, Cooperation and Resilience of Commons-Oriented Cultural Work

This article examines cultural work that is performed and sustained through commoning practices, challenging dominant models of organizing the production and engagement with oral and social history. This exploration is grounded on the analytical intersection of Commons Theory with Self-Determination Theory and Job Crafting. The research draws empirically on two case studies from Greece: the OPI oral history network and the ASKI social history archives. Following commons-like, participatory and solidary-based mechanisms, both cases advance an alternative paradigm in the GLAM sector for producing culture and knowledge as shared and vibrant resources. Based on in-depth interviews with participants and employees, the analysis shows how a culture of commoning drives collaborative oral/social history work through practices of self-organization, openness, dynamic meaning-making and affective workplace relations. Furthermore, the findings highlight how self-governance (OPI) and participatory management (ASKI) enable the co-existence of strong self- and other-oriented motives, supported by a transformational style of leadership that further fosters commitment and trust among contributors. Based on this evidence, it is argued that commoning practices can cultivate long-term commitment, inclusivity, and meaningful cultural participation and thus provide ethical, resilient alternatives to traditional organizational models for GLAM.