The DOI matches its Crossref record; 122 of the 128 references it cites were found in a registry or an index, and 1 are not checked yet.
A Grammar of Institutions
Abstract
The institutional grammar introduced here is based on a view that institutions are enduring regularities of human action in situations structured by rules, norms, and shared strategies, as well as by the physical world. The rules, norms, and shared strategies are constituted and reconstituted by human interaction in frequently occurring or repetitive situations. The syntax of the grammar identifies components of institutions and sorts them into three types of institutional statements: rules, norms, and shared strategies. We introduce the grammar, outline methods for operationalizing the syntax, apply the syntax to an analysis of cooperation in collective dilemma situations, and discuss the pragmatics of the grammar for analyses of behavior within complex institutional settings.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“IG conceptualizes institutions as systems of statements that specify who may or must do what, under which conditions, and with what consequences [9].”
From Governance in Practice: How Open Source Projects Define and Document Roles (2026) · cites this paper as [9]
Citations
Cites
Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance
North, D. C. (1990) · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511808678 · Cited by 32,691
Institutionalized Organizations: Formal Structure as Myth and Ceremony
Meyer, J. W., & Rowan, B. (1977) · American Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1086/226550 · Cited by 28,308
Outline of a Theory of Practice
Bourdieu, P. (1977) · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511812507 · Cited by 27,606
Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance
Munger, M. C., & North, D. C. (1991) · Southern Economic Journal · doi:10.2307/1060065 · Cited by 25,224
(1984) · Cited by 21,166
Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action
Ostrom, E. (1990) · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511807763 · Cited by 20,653
Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action
Field, B. C., & Elinor Ostrom, B. (1992) · Land Economics · doi:10.2307/3146384 · Cited by 19,100
Outline of a Theory of Practice.
Frank, A. W., & Bourdieu, P. (1980) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2066038 · Cited by 14,591
ASPECTS OF THE THEORY OF SYNTAX
Chomsky, N. (1964) · doi:10.21236/ad0616323 · Cited by 13,587
The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis
Powell, W., & DiMaggio, P. (1993) · Administrative Science Quarterly · doi:10.2307/2393344 · Cited by 11,926
Flagged first, then by citations
5 of the 128 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Research works printed but not linked: 10
- Popper, 1967, Le fondements philosophiques des systems economiques
- Ostrom, 1986, Guidance, Control, and Evaluation in the Public Sector
- Coleman, 1987, Economic Imperialism
- Mansbridge, 1990, Beyond Self-interest
- Frank, 1988, Passions within Reason
- Schauer, 1991, Playing by the Rules
- McGinnis Michael D. 1993. “Heterogeneity of Interpretation: Rule Repertoires, Strategies, and Regime Maintenance.” Presented at the conference on Heterogeneity and Collective Action, Indiana University, Bloomington.
- von Wright, 1951, Deontic Logic., Mind, 60, 58
- Weissing, 1991, Game Equilibrium Models II: Methods, Morals, and Markets
- Offe, 1980, Two Logics of Collective Action: Theoretical Notes on Social Class and Organizational Form., Political Power and Social Theory, 1, 67
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 901–1,000 of 1,001
Kakinuma, M., Ando, J., & Nakawake, Y. (2023) · Letters on Evolutionary Behavioral Science · doi:10.5178/lebs.2023.110 · Cited by 2
Nava, M., Cañizares, M., Earl, J., Patel, H., & Ren, L. (2025) · Community Health Equity Research & Policy · doi:10.1177/2752535x251352995 · Cited by 3
Banerji, B., Girija, S., Sharma, D. R., Batra, N., & Sriramneni, C. (2025) · Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice · doi:10.53761/r081z834 · Cited by 2
Forest Research - Challenges and Concepts in a Changing World
Buck, A., Bürger, B., & Wolfrum, G. (2004) · Cited by 2
Adaptaciones institucionales en la época neoliberal
Riojas, C. (2010) · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Cited by 2
Formalizing institutions as executable petri nets for distributed robotic systems
Pereira, J. N., Silva, P., Lima, P. U., & Martinoli, A. (2011) · European Conference on Artificial Life · doi:10.7551/978-0-262-29714-1-ch098 · Cited by 2
The One-Dimensionality of the Institutional Incentives Approach to Ethnic Violence
Theuerkauf, U. G. (2010) · Studies in Conflict and Terrorism · doi:10.1080/1057610x.2010.494173 · Cited by 2
Torgovnik, E. (2000) · Israel Affairs · doi:10.1080/13537120108719601 · Cited by 2
Analysing the Dynamics of Norm Evolution Using Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets
Frantz, C. K., Purvis, M., Nowostawski, M., & Savarimuthu, B. T. R. (2014) · IEEE/WIC/ACM International Conference on Web Intelligence and Intelligent Agent Technology (WI-IAT) · doi:10.1109/wi-iat.2014.172 · Cited by 2
An Institutional Grammar of Mores 1
Crawford, S. E. (2004) · Digital Library Of The Commons Repository (Indiana University) · Cited by 2
Self-citationHo, S., & Rajabifard, A. (2012) · Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) · Cited by 2
Institutions and Values: A Methodological Inquiry
Natarajan, T., & Edwards, W. (2016) · Journal of Economic Issues · doi:10.1080/00213624.2016.1179067 · Cited by 2
FDI and Property Rights in Resource-Rich Countries
Amini, C. (2014) · Palgrave Macmillan eBooks · doi:10.1057/9781137367204_5 · Cited by 2
The Diversity of Economic Models
Amable, B. (2003) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/019926113x.003.0005 · Cited by 2
The Institutional Imperatives of Local Economic Governance
Schoburgh, E. D. (2016) · Advances in electronic government, digital divide, and regional development book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-1645-3.ch003 · Cited by 2
A Gender-centered Perspective in the Institutional Analysis of Commons
Łapniewska, Z. (2016) · Social Entrepreneurship Review · doi:10.15678/es.2016.1.05 · Cited by 2
Précis of Understanding Institutions
Guala, F. (2018) · Philosophy of the Social Sciences · doi:10.1177/0048393118798618 · Cited by 2
The Need for Sensemaking in Networked Privacy and Algorithmic Responsibility
Kleek, M. G. V., Seymour, W., Veale, M., Binns, R., & Shadbolt, N. (2018) · UCL Discovery (University College London) · Cited by 2
Institutional uncertainty in transitional and developing economies
Andrey, K. (2020) · National Accounting Review · doi:10.3934/nar.2020004 · Cited by 2
McGinnis, M. D. (2005) · Cited by 2
Institutional Grammar 2.0: Conceptual Foundations and General Syntax
Frantz, C. K., & Siddiki, S. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-86372-2_4 · Cited by 2
Amable, B. (2003) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/019926113x.003.0001 · Cited by 2
Houdret, A., & Heinz, R. (2023) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781003345862-6 · Cited by 2
The change and continuity in China’s S&T policy: an institutional grammar (IG) approach
Ran, A., & Liu, L. (2023) · Asian Journal of Technology Innovation · doi:10.1080/19761597.2023.2181832 · Cited by 2
Bottom-up and bottom-top institutional changes in environmental management in the Niger Delta
Adekola, O. A., & Grainger, A. (2023) · World Development Perspectives · doi:10.1016/j.wdp.2023.100491 · Cited by 2
The Contribution of Anthropology to Concepts Guiding LTSER Research
Gragson, T. L. (2012) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-1177-8_9 · Cited by 2
Regelsysteme in grenzüberschreitenden Geschäftsbeziehungen
Freiling, J., & Nieswandt, H. (2012) · Managementforschung · doi:10.1007/978-3-8349-4349-1_6 · Cited by 2
Rational Choice Theory in Comparative Sociology
Scholtz, H. (2015) · Comparative Sociology · doi:10.1163/15691330-12341359 · Cited by 2
Whither Continental European Capitalism?
Amable, B. (2003) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/019926113x.003.0006 · Cited by 2
Querying Social Practices in Hospital Context
Larsen, J. B., Dignum, V., Villadsen, J., & Dignum, F. P. M. (2018) · International Conference on Agents and Artificial Intelligence (ICAART) · doi:10.5220/0006580904050412 · Cited by 2
Mosier, S. L. (2019) · Politics and the Life Sciences · doi:10.1017/pls.2019.10 · Cited by 2
Polycentricity and Citizenship in Environmental Governance
Marshall, G. R., & Malik, A. (2019) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108325721.010 · Cited by 2
Custom Tokens und Smart Contracts zur Projektsteuerung
Lehner, J. M., Schützeneder, P., & Sametinger, J. R. (2020) · Edition HMD · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-28006-2_4 · Cited by 2
Curran, S. R. (2020) · Globalizations · doi:10.1080/14747731.2020.1841544 · Cited by 2
Pachoud, C. (2020) · Revue de géographie alpine · doi:10.4000/rga.7946 · Cited by 2
Li, Z. (2022) · ITM Web of Conferences · doi:10.1051/itmconf/20224501067 · Cited by 2
Choy, A. K., & King, R. (2008) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.1080488 · Cited by 2
Fidelman, P. I. J. (2006) · Research Online (University of Wollongong) · Cited by 2
A law & economics approach to the study of integrated management regimes of estuariesPreprint
van de Griendt, W. (2004) · RePEc: Research Papers in Economics · Cited by 2
Murshid, K. A. S. (2011) · BIBSYS Brage (BIBSYS (Norway)) · Cited by 2
Groups and Institutions, Structures and Processes
Webster, M., & Sell, J. A. (2011) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781444347388.ch8 · Cited by 2
An application of immunocomputing to the evolution of rules for ecosystem management
Janssen, M. A., & Stow, D. (2003) · IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC) · doi:10.1109/cec.2002.1007009 · Cited by 2
Kasozi, A. S. (2009) · University of Hertfordshire Research Archive (University of Hertfordshire) · Cited by 2
Ecosystem service values and societal settings for coral reef governance
Hicks, C. C. (2023) · ResearchOnline - JCU (James Cook University) · doi:10.25903/wd3q-c263 · Cited by 2
Fresno, N. A. (2005) · Cadmus - EUI Research Repository (European University Institute) · doi:10.2870/915121 · Cited by 2
Cook, B. J., Ingram, L., & Shaffer, R. B. (2016) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.2929640 · Cited by 2
Backer, L. C. (2017) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3005613 · Cited by 2
Understanding and Defining Institutions: The Contribution of Francesco Gual
Hodgson, G. M. (2017) · Journal of Economic Methodology · doi:10.1080/1350178x.2017.1389006 · Cited by 2
Bindewald, L. (2018) · Insight (University of Cumbria) · doi:10.17635/lancaster/thesis/427 · Cited by 2
Az optimális valutaövezet elméletek és a Gazdasági és Monetáris Unió működése
Szijártó, N. (2019) · doi:10.14267/phd.2019017 · Cited by 2
What/Whose Property Rights? The Selective Enforcement of Land Rights Under Mexican LiberalismPreprint
Saffon, M. P., & Bertomeu, J. G. (2018) · SSRN Electronic Journal · Cited by 2
Szalacha-Jarmużek, J., Polasik, M., & Jakubowska, M. (2021) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3802643 · Cited by 2
Commons, Institutional Diversity of
Elinor Ostrom, B. (2001) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b0-12-226865-2/00054-7 · Cited by 2
The Faustian Bargain: Power-Sharing, Constitutions, and the Practice of Polycentricity in GovernancePreprint
Tarko, V., Schlager, E. C., & Lutter, M. (2018) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3288307 · Cited by 2
COMPREENDENDO A FRAGILIDADE INSTITUCIONAL
Nóbrega, F. F. B., & Teixeira, A. C. S. (2023) · REI - REVISTA ESTUDOS INSTITUCIONAIS · doi:10.21783/rei.v9i1.754 · Cited by 2
Prioritizing App Reviews for Developer Responses on Google PlayPreprint
Jafari, M., Heydarnoori, A., & Majidi, F. (2025) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.5128510 · Cited by 2
A Theory of Institutional LegitimacyPreprint
Colombatto, E. (2012) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.2148326 · Cited by 2
An Institutional Analysis of the Economics of IdentityPreprint
Berg, A. (2021) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3956930 · Cited by 2
Credible Commitment and Economic Growth in Africa
Seifu, M. (2009) · Dublin City University Open Access Institutional Repository (Dublin City University) · Cited by 2
Commons, Institutional Diversity of
Elinor Ostrom, B. (2013) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-384719-5.00157-x · Cited by 2
Pieliński, B., Mering, T., & Szarfenberg, R. (2021) · International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy · doi:10.1108/ijssp-09-2021-0227 · Cited by 1
Bunders, D. J., & Tine De Moor, A. (2024) · Regulation & Governance · doi:10.1111/rego.12607 · Cited by 1
“Above All, Look at Your Own Reality!”: Patsy Healey and the Future of Planning African Cities
Boamah, E. F. (2025) · Planning Theory & Practice · doi:10.1080/14649357.2025.2463252 · Cited by 1
Is Kafka inevitable? Political institutions and the structure of communication protocols
Murtazashvili, I., & Palida, A. (2025) · The Journal of Law Economics and Organization · doi:10.1093/jleo/ewaf009 · Cited by 1
The Problems of Cryptocurrency Thefts and Exchange Shutdowns
Chohan, U. W. (2025) · Palgrave studies in financial services technology · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-90542-1_4 · Cited by 1
Interfacing Programming Language Semantics and Pragmatics: What Does “Hello, World” Mean?
Sack, W. (2025) · Philosophies · doi:10.3390/philosophies10040086 · Cited by 1
Opp, K. (2025) · Rationality and Society · doi:10.1177/10434631251390297 · Cited by 1
Social norms enable rural collective action: an example from weed management in Australia
Height, K., & Graham, S. (2025) · Agriculture and Human Values · doi:10.1007/s10460-025-10832-y · Cited by 1
Proteção e Uso de Dados: Análise da robustez das Estratégias das Capitais Brasileiras
Lui, L., de Aguiar, R. B., Rosa, T. G., Ferreira, G. C., & Oliveira, A. (2025) · urbe Revista Brasileira de Gestão Urbana · doi:10.1590/2175-3369.017.e20240244 · Cited by 1
The role of symbolic power in sustainability transformations
Ishihara, H., & Pascual, U. (2026) · PLOS Sustainability and Transformation · doi:10.1371/journal.pstr.0000188 · Cited by 1
Strong plans, weak levers: Identifying institutional limits to reducing car dependence in Finland
Lyly, N., & Ghorbani, A. (2026) · Energy Research & Social Science · doi:10.1016/j.erss.2026.104737 · Cited by 1
The organizational anatomy of cybercrime: a multilayer framework for modeling resilience
Manatova, D., McGrath, C. A., & Camp, L. J. (2026) · Journal of Cybersecurity · doi:10.1093/cybsec/tyag014 · Cited by 1
Penna, C., Mazzucato, M., & Santos, G. D. O. (2026) · Policy Design and Practice · doi:10.1080/25741292.2026.2717790 · Cited by 1
Realistic Agents with Social Practices
Mercuur, R. (2018) · Adaptive Agents and Multi-Agents Systems · doi:10.65109/emul7530 · Cited by 1
Jones, K. M. L., & McCoy, C. (2021) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108749978.005 · Cited by 1
New Institutionalism and New Regionalism Approaches to Understanding Regionalism in Southern Africa
Tshimpaka, L. M., Nshimbi, C. C., & Moyo, I. (2021) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-15-9388-8_4 · Cited by 1
Berasain, J. M. L. (2021) · Iberian Journal of the History of Economic Thought · doi:10.5209/ijhe.74588 · Cited by 1
Roe, M. S. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-21747-5_1 · Cited by 1
Communs et gouvernance des ressources en accès partagé
Delville, P. L., Ancey, V., & Fache, É. (2022) · IRD Éditions eBooks · doi:10.4000/books.irdeditions.45593 · Cited by 1
Social Norms and Agent Types: Bridging the Gap Between the Theoretical Models and Their Applications
Zachník, V. (2023) · Philosophy of the Social Sciences · doi:10.1177/00483931231181168 · Cited by 1
Normative and Regulatory Dimensions of Institutional Culture
Vargas-Hernández, J. G., & Vargas-González, O. C. (2023) · Advances in logistics, operations, and management science book series · doi:10.4018/979-8-3693-0250-7.ch009 · Cited by 1
Mataywa, B., & Makhasi, Y. (2023) · Journal of Public Administration · doi:10.53973/jopa.2023.58.4.a20 · Cited by 1
Bushouse, B. K., Virgüez‐Ruiz, S., Chakraborti, M., & Frey, S. (2025) · Nonprofit Policy Forum · doi:10.1515/npf-2024-0048 · Cited by 1
A sentence-based approach to measuring EU regulatory activity
Brandsma, G. J., Blom‐Hansen, J., van Hal, F., & Moodley, K. (2025) · Journal of European Public Policy · doi:10.1080/13501763.2025.2596122 · Cited by 1
Sawaka, R. S., Nugroho, B., Ichwandi, I., & Setiawan, B. (2025) · Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA · doi:10.29303/jppipa.v11i11.8648 · Cited by 1
Business Participation in Regulation: A Multifocal Perspective on Management Studies
van den Broek, O. M., Schrempf‐Stirling, J., de Bakker, F. G. A., & Kourula, A. E. (2025) · Regulation & Governance · doi:10.1111/rego.70110 · Cited by 1
Wang, Y., Lam, I. C., Lui, C. K., & Soares, N. (2026) · Journal of Urban Management · doi:10.1016/j.jum.2026.01.007 · Cited by 1
Kim, M., & Collins, B. K. (2026) · Public Works Management & Policy · doi:10.1177/1087724x261421903 · Cited by 1
Green hydrogen in the Netherlands: A systemic assessment of status and barriers
Mousavi, S., Laarhoven, M., & Kirkels, A. F. (2026) · Renewable and Sustainable Energy Transition · doi:10.1016/j.rset.2026.100145 · Cited by 1
Speculative institutional grammars: rethinking the limits of participatory AI
Kera, D. (2026) · AI & Society · doi:10.1007/s00146-026-02998-8 · Cited by 1
Wiechman, A., Deslatte, A., Koebele, E. A., García, M., & Anderies, J. M. (2026) · Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory · doi:10.1093/jopart/muag014 · Cited by 2
Jangjoo, S., Tang, T., Arpan, L. M., Lapan, E., Webster, D. G., Bitterman, P., Little, J. C., & Farid, A. M. (2026) · Policy Studies Journal · doi:10.1111/psj.70146 · Cited by 2
Giving, Taking, and Punishment in a Public Goods Environment
Kench, B. T., & Niman, N. B. (2014) · Journal of Applied Business and Economics · Cited by 1
Özerol, G. (2012) · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · doi:10.4337/9781035305742.00015 · Cited by 1
Towards a Plural and Polycentric World of Self-Organising Actors—Elinor Ostrom's Research Programme
Brie, M. (2014) · International Critical Thought · doi:10.1080/21598282.2014.906778 · Cited by 1
New institutional assemblages for borderless customs control in the European Union
Naber, A. C., Hofman, W. J., Enserink, B., & Kotterink, B. (2013) · Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) · Cited by 1
Elinor Ostrom: A Career in Institutional Analysis
McGinnis, M. D. (1996) · PS Political Science & Politics · doi:10.1017/s1049096500045844 · Cited by 1
La cogestion des parcs du nord du Québec en contexte d’incertitude
Milot, N., & Larivière, V. (2013) · Téoros Revue de recherche en tourisme · doi:10.7202/1020712ar · Cited by 1
The Dutch eat at 5:30 pm: shared strategies for agent reasoning
Ghorbani, A., Aldewereld, H., Dignum, V., & Pablo Noriega, A. (2012) · Adaptive Agents and Multi-Agents Systems · doi:10.5555/2343896.2344038 · Cited by 1
Metadata
- Authors
- Crawford, S. E. S., & Ostrom, E.
- Affiliations
- Creighton University (US)
- Venue
- American Political Science Review
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 1995-09
- Volume
- 89
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 582-600
- ISSN
- 0003-0554 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-5943
- OpenAlex
- W2037627831
- Semantic Scholar
- e2582728285ec5ceceeb904176b496cf94a46753
- Cited by
- 1,362
- References
- 128
- Citations by year
- 2026: 59 · 2025: 80 · 2024: 47 · 2023: 72 · 2022: 68 · 2021: 98 · 2020: 101 · 2019: 123 · 2018: 74 · 2017: 49 · 2016: 55 · 2015: 61 · 2014: 55 · 2013: 53 · 2012: 54
- FWCI
- 12.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Political Science Review (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Economic Theory and Institutions
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Keywords
- institutional grammar, institutions, rules, norms, institutional statements, cooperation, social norms, human interaction
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review