More-than-human Rights to Commons: A Poetic Resistance in Chitral, Pakistan

Abstract (English)

This paper critically examines the concept of more-than-human (MTH) rights to commons in Chitral, Pakistan, challenging the dominant anthropocentric frameworks that have historically defined commons primarily in terms of human economic and social interests. Drawing on four years of ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and analysis of local poetry, the study foregrounds Indigenous Chitrali ontologies that recognise mountain commons-encompassing pastures, riverbeds, and barren lands-as shared living spaces for humans, livestock, wildlife, plants, and spiritual entities. The research highlights how Chitrali pastoralist communities conceptualise commons (muzhayo) as inherently inclusive of MTH entities, reflecting a cosmology in which agency and custodianship are distributed among both human and nonhuman actors.

The study situates this perspective within broader academic debates, noting that while the MTH approach has gained traction in Western scholarship, such relational worldviews have long been embedded in Indigenous practices but remain underrepresented in academic discourse. The encroachment of state-led nationalisation policies-manifested through the appropriation of common lands for tourism, mining, and climate projects-has intensified conflicts between the government and local communities, threatening not only human livelihoods but also the existence and agency of MTH entities. By analysing Khowar-language poetry and local narratives as forms of resistance, the paper demonstrates how Chitrali communities articulate demands for the recognition of MTH rights and call for the withdrawal of state interventions.

The research further engages with global legal precedents for nature rights, while critically reflecting on their limitations in reinforcing human-nature dichotomies. Instead, it advocates for a decolonial and relational approach to commons governance that acknowledges the entangled lifeworlds of humans and MTH entities. The paper also addresses ethical considerations in MTH research, emphasising the need for scholarship that actively benefits nonhuman stakeholders and supports their continued presence in shared landscapes.

In conclusion, this study contributes to the reconceptualisation of commons theory by integrating Indigenous interspecies relations and expanding the ethical and political dimensions of commons governance. It underscores the urgency of protecting MTH rights in the face of nationalistic and capitalist pressures, ensuring the sustainability of Chitral's commons for all its inhabitants.