Overview

Elinor C. Ostrom won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2009, with recognition for her path-breaking work on institutions organized to address common-pool resource settings. She and her collaborator and spouse, Vincent Ostrom, contested the scholarship of mainstream political economy, public administration, and public policy in their quest to understand how individuals resolve a variety of social dilemmas. Ostrom's work challenged the belief that a system of governance based on expert public officials could perform better and should a priori be preferred to a system based on citizens' self-governance. Like any great and productive scholar, her body of work includes tensions, flaws, and inconsistencies that must be confronted by scholars looking to engage, critique, and advance her distinctive project in political economy. Starting from the recognition that Ostrom's work remains open for contestation and improvement, Ostrom's Tensions: Reexamining the Political Economy and Public Policy of Elinor C. Ostrom presents a critical assessment of Ostrom's research and ideas. The contributions to this edited volume, which include original chapters by several of Ostrom's colleagues and students, identify sources of tension within her writing. The research program Ostrom developed continues as an open-ended project advancing adaptable models and polycentric governance solutions rather than static models and one-size-fits-all policies. Taken as a whole, this volume identifies important questions and areas for future research by the next generation of political economists.

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9781942951582

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Reviews

In studying complex humans within equally complex social-ecological settings, Elinor Ostrom had to grapple with a variety of 'tensions' about methodology, diverse disciplines, and the challenges of implementing theory in practice. In this book, a group of esteemed Ostrom experts cast light on how she dealt with such tensions. It is a highly valuable addition to the growing body of work on the Ostroms and their ongoing research program. Daniel H. Cole Professor of Law and of Public and Environmental Affairs Maurer School of Law Indiana University Bloomington This thoughtful and engaging collection of essays raises important questions and debates on Ostrom's scholarship and her unique brand of political economy. Highly recommended. David Skarbek Associate Professor of Political Science Brown University Elinor and Vincent Ostrom embraced a spirit of friendly contestation in all they did. This excellent volume beautifully reflects that legacy with contributions that explore tensions both within the Bloomington School and with contrasting perspectives on the nature of governance and social order. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the problem of governance--and to anyone with an open mind. Mark Pennington Professor of Political Economy King's College London The Bloomington School is flourishing! The flow of work recently emerging from this tradition has been impressive, deep, and diverse. There are so many books and articles that are obligatory reading that it is hard to keep up. This book, a collection of varied, original, and intellectually exciting essays, needs to be added to this obligatory reading. If you are interested in the Bloomington School or the emerging field of civic studies you must read this book. Sorry to impose on you, I know life is short. Karol E. Soltan Associate Professor of Government and Politics University of Maryland, College Park

Author Information

Paul Dragos Aligica is senior fellow with the F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Peter J. Boettke is University Professor of Economics and Philosophy at George Mason University and director of the F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Roberta Q. Herzberg is distinguished senior fellow with the F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

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