This group focuses on discussing the design of efficient tools for collecting rules-in-use from non-policy texts, including oral histories, social media accounts, and ethnographic research (interview transcripts, focus groups, participant observation). The aim is to advance research that bridges the gap between institutional design and institutional practice by advancing analytical and methodological approaches to the codification and comparison of formal and informal institutions (rules) in conjunction.

Work in progress: 

• A protocol for collecting and coding rules-in-use using the Institutional Grammar 2.0. This protocol is currently under review in the International Journal of the Commons (IJC). 

• Curating a collection of articles that utilize the rules-in-use coding protocol. This collection will be published in the International Journal of the Commons (IJC). Contributions are accepted until June 30th, 2026.

Future goals:

1) Continue testing and refining the rules-in-use protocol we developed (currently under review for publication)

2) Define formal and informal rules and advance a greater understanding of the connection between them

3) Share experiences in collecting rules-in-use and investigating rules-in-use and rules-in-form in conjunction

4) Discuss coding and measuring rewards and sanctions (OR ELSE) in rules, norms, and strategies (direct, emotional, and tangible consequences).

5) Advance research that bridges the gap between institutional design and institutional practice through empirical and conceptual contributions that utilize the IG 2.0.

Our group generally meets bi-monthly. Most meetings are virtual, but we take advantage of opportunities for face-to-face meetings, such as conferences. Activities include participating in the online meetings, sharing experiences, collaboratively investigating the connections among formal and informal rules building on the rules-in-use protocol we created, and other interests of the members.

Co-Hosts: Irene Pérez Ibarra, University of Zaragoza, Spain and Ute Brady, Arizona State University, USA

Contact: perezibarra@unizar.es and ute.brady@asu.edu 

Current members:

• Alicia Tenza Peral, University of Zaragoza, Spain
• Daniel William Detzi, University of Arizona, USA
• Ismael Lare David, University of Zaragoza, Spain

The goal of this working group is to adapt the Institutional Grammar 2.0 to the Spanish language and Hispanic contexts. In this group we will discuss how best to translate the grammatical elements into Spanish, for example the deontics and the aims verbs. The final goal is to prepare an introduction to institutional grammar (undergraduate level) in Spanish. This document will be useful for students and researchers who are dealing with the Institutional Grammar for the first time.

A frequency of bi-monthly meetings is anticipated. Most meetings will be virtual, but opportunities for face-to-face meetings will be used.

Co-hosts: Irene Pérez Ibarra & Alicia Tenza Peral, University of Zaragoza, Spain

Contact: perezibarra@unizar.es and atenza@unizar.es

Current members:

• Tomás Olivier, Syracuse University, USA
• Juan Sebastian Uribe-Quintero, Syracuse University, USA
• Carlos Alberto Prieto Valero, European University, Germany

This working group aims to bring together scholars interested in applying Institutional Grammar 2.0 in Chinese contexts. In this working group, scholars can share their ideas and experience on how to adapt Institutional Grammar 2.0 to research projects on Chinese institutions. By creating a community to connect ideas and foster discussions, we want to systematically translate the grammatical elements into Chinese and create a comprehensive guideline for research on Chinese institutions. We firmly believe that fostering communication among scholars and undertaking nuanced analysis of Chinese documents can yield benefits for academia as well as practical applications.

A frequency of bi-monthly meetings is anticipated. Most meetings will be virtual, but opportunities for face-to-face meetings will be used.

Co-hosts:

• Jun Zhang, Syracuse University, USA (jzhan328@syr.edu)
• Shiyang Xiao, Zhejiang University, China (syxiao@zju.edu.cn)
• Difen Lin, Fujian Academy of Administration, China (difenlin@163.com)
• Shuping Wang, Syracuse University, USA (swang253@syr.edu)

This panel will convene an interdisciplinary team of Institutional Grammar (IG) and State-Reinforced Self-Governance (SRSG) researchers to explore novel ways to apply the IG to study key concepts of SRSG. The methods needed to analyze formal policy documents, and informal rules-in-use, in order to evaluate SRSG are currently underdeveloped. Utilizing the strength of the IG to measure key concepts, this group will seek to develop methods to study SRSG via collaborative case studies, laboratory experiments, and various computational approaches (e.g.,  social network analysis, agent based models) that integrate IG and SRSG analytics. We also seek to inform and define basic concepts necessary for the conceptualization and assessment of SRSG, such as the “State”, “State power”, and design principles of adaptive and transformative capacity, and how these are represented and exercised within in/formal institutional designs and processes. Our goal is to develop standard research protocols for the analysis (coding and interpretation) of policies and key informant interviews, for the study of SRSG and development of the IG by the broader scientific community.

We plan to meet monthly to discuss organizational needs and bi-weekly or on an as-needed basis for individual projects (to be decided by team leaders and collaborators). Meetings will typically be online, with in-person meetings when the opportunity arises.

Host: Daniel DeCaro, University of Louisville, USA

Contact: daniel.decaro@louisville.edu

Current Members:

• Emmanuel Frimpong Boamah, University at Buffalo, USA
• Ute Brady, Arizona State University, USA
• Christopher Frantz, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
• Tanya Heikkila, University of Colorado Denver, USA
• Saba Siddiki, Syracuse University, USA
• Shuping Wang, Syracuse University, USA