This project centers around interviews with professional and/or personal acquaintances of Elinor and Vincent Ostrom. Every interview explores a unique relationship with the Ostroms and the continuing impact of the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University. Elinor (Lin) and Vincent Ostrom founded the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis in 1973.The Ostrom Workshop has been the catalyst for worldwide collaboration in the field of public policy and environmental issues. "Coming Together" is an interdisciplinary exploration of the legacy and impact of Elinor (Lin) and Vincent Ostrom. Major topics include; academia, "the commons", cross-disciplinary collaboration, Elinor Ostrom's Nobel Prize, the Ostrom Workshop, political science, political theory, and the Workshop on the Ostrom Workshop (WOW) conference. The project was created to assist in the dissertation research of Sara Catherine Clark, who was a doctoral candidate within the School of Education, pursing a Ph.D. in History, Philosophy, and Policy in Education, at Indiana University Bloomington. Sara Catherine Clark's dissertation was completed in 2019 and is cited as follows: Clark, S. C. (2019). Elinor ostrom: A biography of interdisciplinary life.
Michael McGinnis is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Political Science at Indiana University. McGinnis begins by discussing his interview with the Ostroms for an assistant professor position. He then discusses working with the Ostroms and Political Theory and Policy Analysis within the Ostrom Workshop. McGinnis reflects on his collaboration with Vincent Ostrom while teaching together and Elinor Ostrom through research. The interview closes with McGinnis recounting going to the Nobel Prize ceremony with Elinor Ostrom and working with Elinor Ostrom after the Nobel.
James Walker is a Professor of Economics at Indiana University. Walker first worked with Elinor Ostrom on a National Science Foundation proposal with Roy Gardner which is discussed in detail. After years of collaboration with the Ostroms, Walker became closer to them which led to him going with Elinor Ostrom to the Nobel Prize ceremony and he became executor of their estate. Walker also discusses the history of the Ostrom Workshop and the way it evolved over the years.