The Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded today to Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson for their contributions to our understanding of the economics of institutions and their governance. It is noteworthy that Ostrom is the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. Women in economics should be bursting with gratitude (or envy) that Prof. Ostrom has broken the "separating hyperplane" ceiling that has existed for the profession's highest award until today.
Dan Hamermesh presented some work at BYU a couple of weeks ago showing that the percent of female authors of articles published in the top three economics journals (American Economic Review, Journal of Political Economy, and Quarterly Journal of Economics) rose from 4.3% in 1963 to 10.0% in 2003.
Hamermesh also showed that for elected offices to the American Economics Association that, although the percent of the candidates that are women rose from 12% in the early 1970s to 20% in the early 2000s, the percent of winners who are female has risen from 13% to over 30% in the same period.
All in all, the women's place in the profession has become more and more solidified. Of the top 8 young economists profiled by The Economist magazine last December, two were women (Esther Duflo and Amy Finkelstein). The white collar world of economics is becoming more and more pink.
Hamermesh also showed that for elected offices to the American Economics Association that, although the percent of the candidates that are women rose from 12% in the early 1970s to 20% in the early 2000s, the percent of winners who are female has risen from 13% to over 30% in the same period.
All in all, the women's place in the profession has become more and more solidified. Of the top 8 young economists profiled by The Economist magazine last December, two were women (Esther Duflo and Amy Finkelstein). The white collar world of economics is becoming more and more pink.
