Property, Power, and the Ownership of Everything

Catalog description

Is there anything that cannot be owned? Today, it seems as if everything—from the ground under our feet to the ideas in our heads—is, or has the potential to become, property. What brought about this state of affairs? Who benefits, and who loses? And why does it feel so difficult to change? To answer these questions, we will first study some concepts and methods for critically studying property. Then, we will examine how property has colonized everything: from land and housing, to food and nature, to knowledge and culture, and even the future itself. We will discover how property has become a truly global form of power, and the political, social, and environmental consequences of creating a world in which everything can be owned.