Generalandcommon

Generalandcommon is a neologism used in discussions of information policy, governance of shared resources, and open knowledge. It denotes a framework that seeks to reconcile broad, general accessibility with the norms, practices, and governance structures that arise within particular communities or commons.

Origin and usage: The term has appeared in academic and policy writing since the late 2010s as a way to discuss tensions between universal reach and local control. It is not tied to a single organization and has no formal criteria, but is used to describe approaches that aim to standardize general access while preserving local stewardship.

Conceptual interpretations: General aspects focus on universal design, interoperability, and inclusive policy; common aspects emphasize community governance, participatory decision-making, and shared norms around attribution, licensing, or stewardship.

Applications: It is discussed in contexts such as open data, open licensing, education resources, and digital commons strategies, where there is an explicit aim to balance wide usability with community-based governance.

Criticism: Critics argue that the term can be vague and overlapping with established ideas like the commons, open knowledge, or public goods. Balancing the universal and the locally governed can be complex and contentious, leading to debates about scope and implementation.

See also: commons, open knowledge, public goods, open data, open licensing, knowledge governance.