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.
Julie England is an adjunct instructor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Bloomington. England discusses her work on databases that began with the common-pool resources (CPR) database and evolved with new projects in the Ostrom Workshop. She also discusses the technological changes in the Ostrom Workshop, the creation of the Center for the Study of Institutions, Populations and Environmental Change, and the Workshop on the Workshop Conference. The interview then discusses the Ostroms on a personal level including Manitoulin Island and the Ostrom Workshop after the Ostroms.
Joan Hart is an art historian and textile specialist. Hart first met Vincent and Elinor Ostrom in Bloomington through political science department parties. Soon after meeting Vincent Ostrom, recognized a connection to Hart through Hart's uncle while they were both at the University of Oregon. Throughout the interview there is discussion of the Ostroms' hobbies such as collecting Native American artifacts like baskets, some of these baskets went on exhibit at the Mathers Museum. Hart goes into detail about the Ostroms' hobby of woodworking, how they were taught, their architectural influence and the pieces the Ostroms' had built which were used throughout the house. This leads to a discussion about the functions of the Ostrom house and the parties they liked to host. Further on Hart describes her time on the schoolboard, how Elinor Ostrom was helpful throughout her campaign. This leads to a discussion about Elinor's recognition for the Nobel Prize and the disparities between men and women in the academic setting. The interview concludes with Hart discussing many examples of Elinor Ostrom's generosity.