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.
Mansee Bal is a Research Entrepreneur with the Environmental Design Consultants in India. Bal first discovered Elinor Ostrom when she began reading for her PhD program at Erasmus University. Bal's research focused on urban lakes, mainly in India with a multidisciplinary focus. After this initial introduction Bal had the opportunity to work with Ostrom at the Ostrom Workshop. Throughout the interview she fondly recalls having Elinor Ostrom as a teacher, Ostrom winning the Nobel Prize, Workshop on the Ostrom Workshop (WOW) Conference and personal memories with Ostrom.
Bryan Bruns is an Independent Consultant Sociologist. Bruns was exposed to the work of Elinor and Vincent Ostrom through mutual colleagues, conferences, and their writing. In 2009 Bruns became a Visiting Scholar at the Ostrom Workshop. He discusses what it was like to be a part of the Ostrom Workshop and the way Elinor Ostrom taught. Later he discusses his own work, Workshop on the Ostrom Workshop, and the Nobel Prize.
Emily Castle is the Assistant Director and Librarian at the Ostrom Workshop. She first met Elinor Ostrom at a staff meeting and Elinor was a supervisor of Castle. Castle describes the Ostrom Workshop Library and her typical day as a Librarian. She later discusses preparing and planning the Workshop on the Ostrom Workshop conference. In time she discusses the physical space at the Ostrom Workshop and the community. Castle finishes her interview discussing Elinor Ostrom as a Supervisor, the Nobel Prize, and the Ostrom Workshop without the Ostroms.