Eric Coleman

Biography

Prof. Coleman studies how and why people act collectively to solve environmental problems.  He completed his doctoral work at Indiana University under the late, Nobel Laureate, Elinor Ostrom. Professor Coleman has published many peer-reviewed articles on these topics. His research appears in some of the top general science journals (PNAS, Nature Sustainability) as well as the top disciplinary journals of political science (AJPS), policy analysis, and human-environment interactions. His research extends our knowledge of environmental governance by systematically measuring and quantifying the effects that different types of policy have on the sustainable use of resources. Recent projects include examining oil and gas extraction in Uganda and forest restoration programs in Northern India.

Selected Publications

How Communities Benefit from Collaborative Governance: Experimental Evidence in Ugandan Oil and Gas. 2023. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory.

Recognizing the equity implications of restoration priority maps. 2022. Environmental Research Letters.

Ecosystem restoration prioritization must be informed by marginalized people. 2022. Nature.

Limited effects of tree planting on canopy cover and rural livelihoods in Northern India. 2021. Nature Sustainability.

Fleischmann, F., Basant, S., Chhatre, A., Coleman, E. A., Fischer, H. W., Gupta, D., Guneralp, B., Kashwan, P., Khatri, D., Muscarella, R., Powers, J. S., Ramprasad, V., Rana, P., Rodriguez-Solorzano, C., & Weldman, J. W. (2020). Pitfalls of Tree Planting Show Why We Need People-Centered Natural Climate Solutions. Bioscience, 70(11), 947-950.

Coleman, E. A., Manyindo, J., Parker, A. R., & Schultz, B. (2019). Stakeholder engagement increases transparency, satisfaction, and civic action. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(49), 24486-24491.

Coleman, E. A., & Mwangi, E. (2015). Conflict, Cooperation, and Institutional Change on the Commons. American Journal of Political Science, 59(4), 855-865.

Coleman, E., & Liebertz, S. (2014). Property Rights and Forest Commons. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 33, 649-668.