Women in Economics - Elinor Ostrom

In this video, economist Tyler Cowen presents Elinor Ostrom’s life and research. Ostrom — who Cowen describes as one of the great environmental optimists of our time — became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in economics in 2009.

Elinor Ostrom

Presented by Tyler Cowen

Test Yourself

In this video from MRU's Principles of Microeconomics course, we take a look at common resources and discuss Nobel Prize Winner Elinor Ostrom’s contributions to this topic. If you want to go deeper, start with our Public Goods and Asteroid Defense (yes really!) video.

Learn More About the Tradegy of the Commons

If you'd like go deeper into Ostrom's life and work, check out Vlad Tarko's biography. Or you can hear him discuss it on the Hayek Program podcast.

Learn More About Elinor Ostrom

Learn More

Ostrom explains her groundbreaking research into the public management of natural resources.

Elinor Ostrom, co-recipient of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences and Arthur F. Bentley Professor of Political Science at Indiana University Professor, presents an updated version of her Nobel Prize lecture for an Indiana audience.

Who Are Your Inspiring #WomenInEcon?

Be the first to know of
new videos in this series!

Be the first to know of new videos in this series!

MRU is a free online resource for those both learning and teaching economics around the world. We have a library of over 900 free and engaging economics education videos taught by university professors, along with student practice materials and teacher resources.

Check out our most popular courses including Principles of Micro and Macroeconomics.

What is Marginal

Revolution University (MRU)?

MRU is a free online resource for those both learning and teaching economics around the world. We have a library of over 900 free and engaging economics education videos taught by university professors, along with student practice materials and teacher resources.

Check out our most popular courses including Principles of Micro and Macroeconomics.

What is Marginal Revolution University (MRU)?

We've been overwhelmed by the positive response from professors, students, and others who are eager to thank those who have inspired them. Check out their contributions below.

Perhaps you have some questions like:
What do economists do? Seriously.
Are there lots of jobs? Good pay?
What are current female economists up to?

We've gathered up the best resources from around the web to address these and more. You'll be merrily on your way to econ nerdom!

In this video, economist Tyler Cowen presents Elinor Ostrom’s life and research. Ostrom — who Cowen describes as one of the great environmental optimists of our time — became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in economics in 2009.

Elinor Ostrom

Presented by Tyler Cowen

Learn More

Test Yourself

In this video from MRU's Principles of Microeconomics course, we take a look at common resources and discuss Nobel Prize Winner Elinor Ostrom’s contributions to this topic. If you want to go deeper, start with our Public Goods and Asteroid Defense (yes really!) video.

Learn More About the Tradegy of the Commons

Get the details of Ostrom's story directly from her in this concise autobiography at the Nobel Prize website.

Learn More About Elinor Ostrom

Ostrom explains her groundbreaking research into the public management of natural resources.

Elinor Ostrom, co-recipient of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences and Arthur F. Bentley Professor of Political Science at Indiana University Professor, presents an updated version of her Nobel Prize lecture for an Indiana audience.

Perhaps you have some questions like:
What do economists do? Seriously.
Are there lots of jobs? Good pay?
What are current female economists up to?

We've gathered up the best resources from around the web to address these and more. You'll be merrily on your way to econ nerdom!

Elinor Ostrom's research is at the core of what's been called the "The Bloomington School" (Ostrom's Indiana University is located in Bloomington). This book, by Pete Boettke and Paul Dragos Aligica, provides an in-depth dive into the philosophy and approach of the Bloomington research program.

If you'd like go deeper into Ostrom's life and work, check out Vlad Tarko's biography. Or you can hear him discuss it on the Hayek Program podcast.

Elinor Ostrom's research is at the core of what's been called the "The Bloomington School" (Ostrom's Indiana University is located in Bloomington). This book, by Pete Boettke and Paul Dragos Aligica, provides an in-depth dive into the philosophy and approach of the Bloomington research program.

Get the details of Ostrom's story directly from her in this concise autobiography at the Nobel Prize website.

This edited volume, which include original chapters by several of Ostrom’s colleagues and students, identify sources of tension within her writing. It identifies important questions and areas for future research by the next generation of political economists.

Featuring:

Ostrom was the first female to win the Nobel Prize in economics due to her pioneering work on the tragedy of the commons.

Christina Romer

Yellen was the first female Chair of the Fed, where she worked during and after the Great Recession. She has also made significant theoretical contributions to the field.

Claudia Goldin

Schwartz and Milton Friedman co-authored “A Monetary History of the United States, 1867-1960”, which is the definitive diagnosis of the Great Depression.

Tyler Cowen

Featuring:

Ben Bernanke

Featuring:

Christina Romer

Featuring:

Nancy Rose

David Romer

Romer has devoted her academic career to enriching our understanding of business cycles. She also applied this deep expertise to help tackle the Great Recession by serving as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers.

Featuring:

Ed Glaeser

Lawrence Katz

Goldin, the first female economist to receive tenure at Harvard, is the leading expert on changes in US women's workforce participation over the last 200 years.

Ostrom was the first female to win the Nobel Prize in economics due to her pioneering work on the tragedy of the commons.

Christina Romer

Yellen was the first female Chair of the Fed, where she worked during and after the Great Recession. She has also made significant theoretical contributions to the field.

Claudia Goldin

Schwartz and Milton Friedman co-authored “A Monetary History of the United States, 1867-1960”, which is the definitive diagnosis of the Great Depression.

Tyler Cowen

Featuring:

Ben Bernanke

Featuring:

Christina Romer

Featuring:

Nancy Rose

David Romer

Romer has devoted her academic career to enriching our understanding of business cycles. She also applied this deep expertise to help tackle the Great Recession by serving as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers.

Featuring:

Ed Glaeser

Lawrence Katz

Goldin, the first female economist to receive tenure at Harvard, is the leading expert on changes in US women's workforce participation over the last 200 years.