Original Institutional Economics Outside the United States: The Brazilian Chapter

Abstract

This study intends to examine the roots of Original Institutional Economics (OIE) in Brazil. We rely on two methodologies to analyze the dissemination of OIE in Brazil: a bibliometric study, which identifies key Brazilian authors who published their studies in the Journal of Economic Issues (JEI); and an analysis of academic curriculum vitae (CVs) through an online compilation of Brazilian researchers’ CVs, the Lattes Platform, where it is possible to identify researchers by field. After identifying the Brazilian institutionalists, we study their writings, professor–student relationship, co- authorship, and teaching. We identify three groups of Brazilian institutionalists: (1) a heterogeneous group in São Paulo, (2) a group in Paraná that is concentrated at the same university, and (3) a cohesive group in Rio Grande do Sul.

Keywords:

• Original Institutional Economics
• Brazilian Institutionalism
• Brazilian Heterodoxy

JEL Classification Codes:

• B52

Notes

1 Information about BA, MA, and PhD disciplines were extracted from CVs in the Lattes Platform from each early Brazilian institutionalist: Ramon Garcia Fernandez, David Dequech, Octavio Conceição, and Sebastião Guedes. Information about how Fernandez, Conceição, and Guedes came in contact with OIE were extracted from interview episodes of the Podcast “Economia Underground”—Episodes: “Uma cafezinho com Ramon Fernandez,” “Uma cafezinho com Octavio Conceição,” and “Uma cafezinho com Sebastião Guedes.” David Dequech provided information about how he came in contact with OIE to Felipe Almeida in an e-mail dated October 4, 2021.

2 As in the case of the previous section, information about placement at universities, teaching, professor–student relationship, and papers were extracted from the Lattes Platform for each researcher.

3 After leaving UFPR, Fernandez was a professor at Fundação Getúlio Vargas in São Paulo (FGV-SP) from 2004 to 2011. Since 2011, Fernandez has been a professor at UFABC.

4 Pessali was the first Brazilian advised by Hodgson. Hodgson also supervised Fabiano Dalto (UFPR) and Alexandre Salles (Federal University of Espírito Santo, UFES). Dalto is not addressed here as part of UFPR’s segment as he identifies himself with post-Keynesianism. We will introduce comments about Salles in the next footnote.

5 Similar to Pessali and Dalto, Salles also received his PhD from the University of Hertfordshire and was also advised by Hodgson. Salles is a post-Keynesian institutionalist. He is not part of figure 1 as he is not associated with a group of Brazilian institutionalists.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Felipe Almeida

Felipe Almeida is a professor of economics at the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil. Maríndia Brites is professor of economics at the Foundation of Social Studies of Paraná and the Midwestern Parana State University, Brazil. The authors want to thank Susan Evans for her suggestions. Thanks as well to Fernando Krauzer, Manuel Ramon Souza Luz, and Huáscar Pessali for comments on a previous version of this paper. This research has been supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in Brazil.

Maríndia Brites

Felipe Almeida is a professor of economics at the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil. Maríndia Brites is professor of economics at the Foundation of Social Studies of Paraná and the Midwestern Parana State University, Brazil. The authors want to thank Susan Evans for her suggestions. Thanks as well to Fernando Krauzer, Manuel Ramon Souza Luz, and Huáscar Pessali for comments on a previous version of this paper. This research has been supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in Brazil.