This issue of the CPR Digest presents an all too rare feature: an CPR Forum catalyzed by IASCP members with an opinion to share. Ajit Menon and Sharachchandra Lele had an idea that they wanted to discuss. They felt that a recent article by Arun Agrawal contained some assumptions about both the nature of institutional success and the values held in common among commons scholars that needed clarification. They suggested that a CPR Forum would be a great place to hold such a discussion, and we are glad they did. Debates in the Digest are easier and less formal than in journals, so we hope that others who want to air their views on a commons-related topic will think of the CPR Forum. Arun graciously consented to address their critique, so his response rounds out this short Forum. The brevity of the CPR Forum was made necessary by an extensive Regional Beat from Europe. We present a series of short articles pulled together by our guest Regional Editor Tómas Ratinger dealing with the role of the commons in Eastern Europe’s transition away from communist property systems. After a brief introduction, Ivan Penov presents a case from Bulgaria, Adam Wasilewki a case from Poland and Veronika Malov, Jaroslav Praan and Tómas Ratinger a case from the Czech Republic. Then Thomas Sikor pulls the Regional Beat together with some general reflections. The Regional Beat discussion gives us a tasty anticipation of the Regional Workshop in Prague coming up in April. For details on that Workshop and the five other IASCP-affiliated meetings currently in preparation, take a look at this issues’ engorged announcements section starting on page 12.