Call - What is the Underground Economy?
Welcome everyone to the podcast "Economia Durante," focusing on institutional economics. I'm Fernando, an economist and keen on the history of economic ideas; alongside me are Felipe Almeida, a professor at the Federal University of Paraná, and Ramon, a professor at UFF ABC. We're here to explore our shared interest in institutional economics and discuss how we each became curious about this school of thought. Fernando shares that his interest began during his undergraduate and graduate studies, sparked by a dissatisfaction with traditional economic theories that oversimplified human behavior. He found resonance in institutional economic texts, which provided a more realistic understanding of human interactions and allowed for interdisciplinary analysis. He sees institutional economics as a rich but underexplored field, especially in Brazil. Felipe recounts that his journey also began in college but was more rooted in curiosity than rebellion. He was introduced to Neo-Schumpeterian approaches in the industrial studies at UFRJ, which centered on technological innovation's role in capitalism. As he encountered traditional economic theories related to Newtonian paradigms, he grew curious about the aspects they overlooked, like consumer behavior. This drive led him to seek out theories that could better explain consumer actions, ultimately guiding him towards institutional economics. Ramon mentions his introduction to the field through Felipe and highlights a shared interest in understanding the history of economic thought. This podcast aims to fill a gap in discussions about economic analysis beyond mere economic conditions, focusing on a perspective that has resonated with the three of them. Finally, they reflect on the podcast as a convergence of their desires to create a collective platform for discussing institutional economics, stepping beyond their individual academic pursuits to explore and share insights as a community.