Center for the Study of Institutional Diversity

Center for the Study of Institutional Diversity is a research center dedicated to the interdisciplinary analysis of social-ecological systems and the institutions that govern them. It was founded in 2004 at Arizona State University to advance the study of collective action, resource governance, and institutional evolution. The center integrates approaches from complexity science, computational social science, and field-based empirical research to address global sustainability challenges.

History and establishment

The center was established in 2004 under the leadership of foundational scholars like Elinor Ostrom, the Nobel laureate in economic sciences, and was initially housed within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University. Its creation was motivated by the need for a dedicated hub to expand the research program of the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis at Indiana University. Key early support came from the National Science Foundation and partnerships with the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics. The center's founding coincided with growing academic recognition of the importance of polycentric governance and institutional analysis for managing common-pool resources like fisheries, forests, and water systems.

Research focus and theoretical framework

The center's research is grounded in the Institutional Analysis and Development framework pioneered by Elinor Ostrom and Vincent Ostrom. Core research themes include the study of common-pool resources, social-ecological systems, and the conditions for successful collective action. Methodologically, it employs agent-based modeling, laboratory and field experiments, and large-scale comparative case study analysis, often utilizing databases like the Social-Ecological Systems Meta-Analysis Database. This work frequently engages with theories of complex adaptive systems and aims to understand the evolution of rules, norms, and strategies in diverse contexts, from irrigation communities to digital governance.

Key personnel and organizational structure

The center has been directed by prominent scholars including Marco A. Janssen, a professor in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. Its faculty and research associates are drawn from diverse units across the university, including the School of Human Evolution and Social Change and the School of Complex Adaptive Systems. Notable affiliated scholars have included Sergio Villamayor-Tomas, Ruth Meinzen-Dick, and Michael Schoon. The organizational structure emphasizes collaborative, interdisciplinary research teams that work across traditional academic boundaries, often mentoring graduate students through the PhD programs in sustainability, anthropology, and applied mathematics.

Major projects and publications

The center has led numerous significant research initiatives funded by entities like the National Science Foundation and the European Research Council. Major projects have included the "Robustness of Social-Ecological Systems" project and the "Commons in a Changing World" initiative. Researchers at the center regularly publish in high-impact journals such as Science, PNAS, and Nature. Influential publications include work on the design principles for robust institutions, analyses of climate governance, and studies on the resilience of indigenous management systems. The center also maintains active data repositories and model libraries for the global research community.

Affiliations and institutional partnerships

The center maintains strong formal affiliations with several key institutions globally. It is a core partner of the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University and a member of the Program on Ecosystem Change and Society. It collaborates extensively with the Stockholm Resilience Centre and the Elinor Ostrom Award on Collective Governance of the Commons. Within Arizona State University, it is closely allied with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, the School of Sustainability, and the Decision Center for a Desert City. These partnerships facilitate international comparative research, scholar exchanges, and joint funding proposals aimed at addressing transnational environmental and institutional challenges.

Category:Research institutes in the United States Category:Arizona State University Category:Institutional economics