▪ Abstract From the complex literatures on “institutionalisms” in political science and
sociology, various components of institutional change are identified: mutability …

This survey reviews models of self-reinforcing mechanisms that cause poverty to persist.
Some of them examine market failure in environments where the neoclassical assumptions …

We are part of Nature, not separate from it. We rely on Nature to provide us with food, water
and shelter; regulate our climate and disease; maintain nutrient cycles and oxygen …

Social Capital, the advantage created by location in social structure, is a critical element in
business strategy. Who has it, how it works, and how to develop it have become key …

Extensive empirical evidence and theoretical developments in multiple disciplines stimulate
a need to expand the range of rational choice models to be used as a foundation for the …

It is widely believed that current disparities in economic, political, and social outcomes reflect
distinct institutions. Institutions are invoked to explain why some countries are rich and …

Lacking an appropriate theoretical framework, economists and economic historians have
paid little attention to the relations between culture and institutional structure. This limits the …

States use formal international organizations (IOs) to manage both their everyday
interactions and more dramatic episodes, including international conflicts. Yet, contemporary …

What is the role of law in a society in which order is maintained mostly through social norms,
trust, and nonlegal sanctions? Eric Posner argues that social norms are sometimes …

Problems of cooperation--in which agents seek ways to jointly improve their welfare--are
ubiquitous and important. They can be found at scales ranging from our daily routines--such …