Elinor Ostrom born August 7 1933 in California , USA is an American scientist who won the Nobel Prize 2009 in Economic Sciences which she had to share with Oliver Williamson . Elinor Ostrom ( nÃ e Awan , born August 7 , 1933 ) is an American political economist . She was awarded the 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences , which she shared with Oliver E. Williamson , for `` her analysis of economic governance , especially the commons . ''