Degenen

Degenen is a term used in contemporary discourse to describe a loosely connected network of community projects and collectives that emphasize participatory governance, mutual aid, and digital ethics. It functions as a label rather than a single organization.

The name derives from the Dutch demonstrative pronoun degenen, meaning "the ones" or "those people." Groups use it to stress plurality and inclusion while adopting a common branding.

The term appears in online discussions and urban art contexts since the mid-2010s, spreading through various cities via informal, project-based collaboration rather than formal institutions.

Core aims include consent-based decision-making, transparency, shared resources, open-source tools, and community education. Activities commonly include neighborhood projects, public forums, collaborative art, digital-literacy workshops, and mutual-aid exchanges.

There is no central leadership or formal membership. Projects are autonomous and employ rotating roles with non-hierarchical governance. Coordination occurs through online platforms and local gatherings rather than a single umbrella body.

Reception is mixed: supporters see it as fostering local resilience and inclusive collaboration; critics point to vagueness and uneven accountability across a decentralized network.

See also: participatory democracy, mutual aid networks, digital commons.