Congrats to Elinor Ostrom, a political scientist at Indiana University for winning a share of the Nobel Prize in economics. Ostrom shares this year’s prize with Oliver E, Williamson (of UC Berkley). Both work in the area of what is called “new institutionalism” (explained, in part and how it pertains to economics by last year’s winner, Paul Krugman, here).
Basic c.v.-ish stuff from the NYT:
Ms. Ostrom, 76, was born in Los Angeles, and received her Ph.D. in political science in 1965 from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is the Arthur F. Bentley professor of political science at Indiana University, Bloomington. She is also co-director of the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis. Mr. Williamson, 77, was born in Superior, Wis., and received his Ph.D. in economics in 1963 from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He is the Edgar F. Kaiser professor emeritus of business, economics and law and a professor at the graduate school of business at the University of California, Berkeley.
Given the influence of new institutionalism on my own education and work, I am especially pleased to see this award. I am trying to remember when I was first introduced to Ostrom’s work, but I am not sure. Perhaps it was by this guy when I was an undergrad, but it may have been early in my graduate studies.
For more on Williamson;s work see Steve Bainbridge.
Ostrom is also noteworthy for being the first woman to win the prize in economics.
Sphere: Related Content
October 13th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
While I would be happy to claim credit for introducing you to these luminaries, Steven, I do not recall really knowing much about Ostrom or Williamson till I got to UCSD. They have been tremendously important to my professional life (especially Williamson), but probably only after I started attending the political economy lunches we had at UCSD in the early 1990s. (Which, by the way, were amazingly stimulating!)
I have posted some thoughts on the Nobels.
October 13th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I think, actually, it was my dissertation co-chair, Larry Graham, who first referred me to Ostrom’s work.