Daniel H. Cole

Professor Daniel H. Cole is a distinguished faculty member at Indiana University, holding appointments at the Maurer School of Law, the Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Political Science. He has been with Indiana University since 1991, moving to the Bloomington campus in 2011, where he serves as the Robert H. McKinney Professor of Law and Harry T. Ice Faculty Fellow.

Cole's research spans environmental law and economics, property rights theory, and the Bloomington school of political-economy. His work frequently extends the research program of Elinor and Vincent Ostrom, with whom he has collaborated extensively. He is particularly known for his expertise in environmental and natural resources law, Polish constitutional and environmental law, and the institutional analysis of governance systems.

Professor Cole's scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of law, economics, and political institutions. His recent publications demonstrate growing attention to polycentric governance approaches, climate policy frameworks, and the theoretical foundations of property rights. The publications show increasing international collaboration and application of institutional analysis to diverse environmental challenges across multiple jurisdictions.

• 2015 Elinor Ostrom Prize for best article in the Journal of Institutional Economics
• 2019 Best Undergraduate Teaching Award, IU O'Neill School
• 1999 American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies Polish Book Prize
• Multiple Teaching Excellence Recognition Awards from Indiana University

Cole has secured significant research funding including NSF Coupled Natural and Human Systems Grants and FORMAS Grants from the Swedish government. His international scholarly impact is evidenced by invited presentations across six continents and publications in multiple languages. He maintains active affiliations with the Vincent and Elinor Ostrom Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis.