Institutions, Markets and Society

The course provides the students with the basic knowledge and analytical tools to understand the distinctive features of contemporary economies, with a special focus on the role of economic institutions, policies and market regulation as well as of economic actors, like businesses and interest organisations (employer associations and trade unions). The course presents, in a comparative perspective, the main research results in economic sociology on economic development and growth, production models, varieties of capitalism, globalisation and financialisation of the economy, construction and functioning of markets.

At the end of the course, students will understand and will be able to present the basic features of contemporary economies, with special reference to their institutional infrastructures and the construction and functioning of markets. Moreover, students will be able to understand and analyse a wide range of economic phenomena which characterise their daily experience and have a key position in the public debate, such as the globalisation and financialisation of the economy, the role of enterprise networks and innovation processes.