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.
Jacob Bower-Bir is an Assistant Professor at the American University in Cairo. He first met Elinor Ostrom as a student where she was his mentor for five years and chair of his committee. Bower-Bir recalls how fortunate he was to work with Elinor Ostrom before and after the Nobel prize. He also discusses the Ostrom Workshop, the Workshop on the Ostrom Workshop and questions both the Ostroms were pursing answers to. The interview closes with Bower-Bir reflecting on the ways Elinor and Vincent Ostrom influenced him.
Prakash Kashwan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Co-Director of the Economic and Social Rights Research Group at the Human Rights Institute, at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. Kashwan first met the Ostroms when he came to Indiana University to work on his PhD. He recalls memories with Elinor and Vincent Ostrom. The interview moves on to discuss the Workshop on the Ostrom Workshop (WOW) conference and its future along with the Ostroms intellectual legacy. Kashwan ends by discussing Vincent Ostrom and Elinor Ostrom's teaching.