An Islamic Commons? Reflections on environmental, economic, and social stewardship from an indigenous apiary in Morocco

Dr. Salah Chafik’s research is inspired by the age-old question and notion of ‘living and doing good’ or السعادة القصوى (eudaimonia). He studies the pursuit & understanding of public value creation beyond a global Western paradigm, focusing on purpose-driven indigenous institutions rooted in Islam. In particular, he is interested in the role of these institutions in delivering public services to, taking on challenges for, and shaping the business and wider socio-economic environment of their communities. His approach to research is interdisciplinary, combining non-Western public administration, organisational theory, commons, economic sociology & history, technology governance, and ethnographic fieldwork.

Taddaret Inzerki is an indigenous honey cooperative (i.e. apiary) in rural Morocco that has operated autonomously for centuries. This talk will present ethnographic fieldwork on the apiary, and argue that it represents a(n Islamic) commons due to its three enduring institutional goals: ensuring the welfare of the bees and environment, respecting the sanctity of craft over profit-maxmisaiton, and properly treating fellow beekeepers whilst fulfilling Islamic requisites.

Dr. Salah Chafik is Co-Investigator and Project Manager for the Islamic Public Value project within the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose funded by the John Templeton Foundation. He obtained his PhD from Tallinn University of Technology, and previously studied at the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, and various traditional Islamic seminaries in West Africa.