American legal scholars have been interested in Elinor Ostrom's book "Governing the Commons" since its release in 1990. They have found that people can work together to manage resources effectively without relying on individual ownership or government control. Scholars have used Ostrom's ideas to support the idea that informal norms can solve common resource problems. However, some legal academics have also raised concerns about balancing Ostrom's stable and sustainable governance model with more traditional legal approaches that favor open markets and equality.