College Schools, Departments & Programs

Political Science

Ostrom Workshop

The Ostrom Workshop develops courses that provide students with an opportunity to relate theoretical analysis of contemporary policy issues to empirical field research. Students in both graduate and undergraduate courses participate in the design and implementation of small-scale, policy-relevant research projects. These projects help students gain practical experience in reasoning through policy problems, in conducting research, and in analyzing data. Students may also use data collected in these studies for their own research, such as class assignments and honors theses. High-quality work may be considered for publication in the workshop publication series. The subject matter of the courses varies from year to year, but a consistent theme is the comparative study of alternative institutional arrangements for dealing with public sector problems.

In addition to the development of specific courses, the workshop holds weekly colloquia where faculty and students at Indiana University and guest speakers address theoretical and policy problems of mutual interest. Reprints of recent studies in the workshop's publication series are available to students without charge.

Further information, including listings of current course offerings and publications, is available on the Workshop's website. Interested students and faculty may also contact the Ostrom Workshop at 513 N. Park Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, (812) 855-0441.