I am an independent policy strategist, journalist, activist and consultant with an evolving public-interest portfolio. My work tends to focus on a few key concerns: reclaiming the commons, understanding how digital technologies are changing democratic culture, fighting the excesses of intellectual property law, fortifying con
sumer rights and promoting citizen action.

Most of my work these days is focused on the politics, economics and culture of the commons. In addition to speaking and writing frequently about the commons, I edit the web portal and blog OntheCommons.org. Newcomers to the commons might want to start by reading a terrific flyer, "Let's Reclaim the Commons," a report on The State of the Commons, a report on The Commons Rising, or any of my speeches.

New Press will publish my book, Viral Spiral: How the Commoners Built a Digital Republic of Their Own in January 2009. Viral Spiral is about the rise of free and open-source software, Creative Commons licenses and the content commons they make possible, the internationalization of "free culture," and the burgeoning "sharing economy" that can be seen in open education, open science and open business models.

I have a number of affiliations and diverse projects at any given time, but most of my work is done as:

Editor, OntheCommons.org

Senior Fellow, USC Annenberg School for Communication, The Norman Lear Center

Collaborator with television writer/producer Norman Lear

Co-founder and board member, Public Knowledge

Last updated July 12, 2008