Routledge Siena Studies in Political Economy – serie

This edited collection looks at the emerging relationship between politics and economics. The analysis of power relations - traditionally the focus of political science - is becoming increasingly important to economists in order to understand concepts such as the 'contested nature' of market exchanges. These papers examine power relations in the firm and the market place and offer an economic perspective of political relations. The book is divided into three sections:* politics and power in economic organizations* the economic analysis of political organizations* politics, economics and social changeThe final section considers how a combination of economic and political tools can be used effectively to analyse social change.

The traditional role of evolutionary theory in the social sciences has been to explain the existence of an object in terms of the survival of the fittest. In economics this approach has acted as a justification for hypotheses such as profit maximisation, or the existence of institutions in terms of their overall efficiency. This volume challenges that view and argues that one of the first tasks of economic theory should be to explain the enormous diversity of institutional arrangements that has characterised human societies.

This volume gathers together key new contributions on the subject of the relationship, both empirical and theoretical, between economic oscillations, growth and structural change. Employing a sophisticated level of mathematical modelling, the collection contains articles from, amongst others, William Baumol, Katsuhito Iwai and William Brock.

In recent years certain leading figures in the world of economics have called the usefulness of general equilibrium theory into question. This superb new book brings together leading economic theorists with important contributions to the ongoing debate.General equilibrium theorists including Michio Morishima, Michael Magill and Martine Quinzii debate strengths, weaknesses and possible futures with leading thinkers such as Herb Gintis, Pierangelo Garegnani and Duncan Foley, who seek to explain the rejection of general equilibrium. Uniquely, none of the contributors portray general equilibrium theory as the perfect guide to market economies actual behaviour, but rather illustrate that there is insufficient acquaintance with existing alternatives and that general equilibrium theory is often used as an ideal 'benchmark'.

In recent years the understanding of the cognitive foundations of economic behavior has become increasingly important. This volume contains contributions from such leading scholars as Adam Brandenburger, Michael Bacharach and Patrick Suppes. It will be of great interest to academics and researchers involved in the field of economics and psychology as well as those interested in political economy more generally.

This book addresses the lively interaction between the disciplines of law and economics. The traditional boundaries of these two disciplines have somehow inhibited a full understanding of the functioning of and the evolution of economic and legal systems. It has often been the case that these boundaries have had to be reshaped, and sometimes abolished, before either one of the two disciplines could successfully clarify the real life problems arising from the complex institutions of contemporary societies. The contributions to this volume encompass some of the core controversial issues in law and economics arising from interactions between legal orderings and economic institutions. They include:the nature of institutional and legislative change and the emergence of strong institutional complementarity in legal positionsthe relationship between private orderings and the role of the State in enforcing contracts and defining property rightsthe nature and dynamics of endogenous enforcement and the analysis of governance models and corporate ethics.Part of the renowned Siena Studies in Political Economy series, this book will be an essential read for postgraduates and researchers in the fields of law and economics, and the economics of institutions.

Internationally, globalization and increased economic integration has impacted quality of life and individual well-being. Attempts to evaluate the impact on income dispersion from this process have been extremely controversial. This key volume is the first real attempt to build up indices and a theoretical framework in order to deal with inequality of opportunity, and to enable social and political institutions to monitor increasing disparities in well-being and social exclusion. It thoroughly examines the possible relationships between the recent acceleration in economic integration and inequality among persons and countries and will enable social and political institutions to monitor increasing disparities in well-being and social exclusion.The contributions to this volume cover various subfields of economics, and examine both the negative and positive spillover effects of economic integration on individuals, social groups and nations. Since the impact of globalization on the most deprived people is multidimensional in nature, the theoretical framework is extended to a multivariate context where several individual characteristics are simultaneously considered.This original volume covers many important topics and features an impressive array of respected contributors. As such, it is sure to be an invaluable resource for postgraduates and professionals in the fields of political economy and economics.

Efficiency is the hallmark of environmental economics, and though economists are concerned with the environment, primarily because it challenges the efficiency of competitive markets, until now, limited attention has been paid to distributional issues. This excellent collection of essays identifies and addresses key issues surrounding the inequality-environment relationship such as: * Does increasing economic inequality lead to better or worse environmental quality? * Which individual or social features play a role in determining the differentiated impact of changes in the environment? * What impact does economic inequality or social segmentation have on collective action?* How important is the complex economic and social institution in which the inequality-environment takes place?With an impressive array of contributors and an excellent mix of popular and noteworthy topics, this latest addition to the Routledge Siena Studies in Political Economy series will prove essential to economists with an interest in the environment and will be useful to readers with a more general environmental studies background.

Gender is now recognized as a fundamental organizing principle for economic as well as social life, and related research has grown at an unprecedented pace in the recent decades across branches of economics. The volume takes stock of this research, proposes novel analytical frameworks and outlines further research directions. It grew out of the Summer School of International Research in Pontignano (University of Siena) that traditionally brings together the most representative scholars in the chosen field.The thirteen essays included in the volume cover recent advances in gender related issues across disciplinary branches, from Economic History and the History of Economic Thought to Macroeconomics, Household Economics, the Economics of Care Work, Labour Economics, Institutional and Experimental Economics. The volume is primarily addressed to graduate students in Economics and is an essential companion for researchers in the area of Gender Economics. As most essays are written in a non-technical language it is also of interest to a wider audience, including specialists in Sociology, Demography and History.

Gender is now recognized as a fundamental organizing principle for economic as well as social life, and related research has grown at an unprecedented pace in the recent decades across branches of economics. The volume takes stock of this research, proposes novel analytical frameworks and outlines further research directions. It grew out of the Summer School of International Research in Pontignano (University of Siena) that traditionally brings together the most representative scholars in the chosen field.The thirteen essays included in the volume cover recent advances in gender related issues across disciplinary branches, from Economic History and the History of Economic Thought to Macroeconomics, Household Economics, the Economics of Care Work, Labour Economics, Institutional and Experimental Economics. The volume is primarily addressed to graduate students in Economics and is an essential companion for researchers in the area of Gender Economics. As most essays are written in a non-technical language it is also of interest to a wider audience, including specialists in Sociology, Demography and History.

Efficiency is the hallmark of environmental economics, and though economists are concerned with the environment, primarily because it challenges the efficiency of competitive markets, until now, limited attention has been paid to distributional issues. This excellent collection of essays identifies and addresses key issues surrounding the inequality-environment relationship such as: * Does increasing economic inequality lead to better or worse environmental quality? * Which individual or social features play a role in determining the differentiated impact of changes in the environment? * What impact does economic inequality or social segmentation have on collective action?* How important is the complex economic and social institution in which the inequality-environment takes place?With an impressive array of contributors and an excellent mix of popular and noteworthy topics, this latest addition to the Routledge Siena Studies in Political Economy series will prove essential to economists with an interest in the environment and will be useful to readers with a more general environmental studies background.

Internationally, globalization and increased economic integration has impacted quality of life and individual well-being. Attempts to evaluate the impact on income dispersion from this process have been extremely controversial. This key volume is the first real attempt to build up indices and a theoretical framework in order to deal with inequality of opportunity, and to enable social and political institutions to monitor increasing disparities in well-being and social exclusion. It thoroughly examines the possible relationships between the recent acceleration in economic integration and inequality among persons and countries and will enable social and political institutions to monitor increasing disparities in well-being and social exclusion.The contributions to this volume cover various subfields of economics, and examine both the negative and positive spillover effects of economic integration on individuals, social groups and nations. Since the impact of globalization on the most deprived people is multidimensional in nature, the theoretical framework is extended to a multivariate context where several individual characteristics are simultaneously considered.This original volume covers many important topics and features an impressive array of respected contributors. As such, it is sure to be an invaluable resource for postgraduates and professionals in the fields of political economy and economics.

In recent years the understanding of the cognitive foundations of economic behavior has become increasingly important. This volume contains contributions from such leading scholars as Adam Brandenburger, Michael Bacharach and Patrick Suppes. It will be of great interest to academics and researchers involved in the field of economics and psychology as well as those interested in political economy more generally.

In recent years certain leading figures in the world of economics have called the usefulness of general equilibrium theory into question. This superb new book brings together leading economic theorists with important contributions to the ongoing debate.General equilibrium theorists including Michio Morishima, Michael Magill and Martine Quinzii debate strengths, weaknesses and possible futures with leading thinkers such as Herb Gintis, Pierangelo Garegnani and Duncan Foley, who seek to explain the rejection of general equilibrium. Uniquely, none of the contributors portray general equilibrium theory as the perfect guide to market economies actual behaviour, but rather illustrate that there is insufficient acquaintance with existing alternatives and that general equilibrium theory is often used as an ideal 'benchmark'.

The traditional role of evolutionary theory in the social sciences has been to explain the existence of an object in terms of the survival of the fittest. In economics this approach has acted as a justification for hypotheses such as profit maximisation, or the existence of institutions in terms of their overall efficiency. This volume challenges that view and argues that one of the first tasks of economic theory should be to explain the enormous diversity of institutional arrangements that has characterised human societies.

This book addresses the lively interaction between the disciplines of law and economics. The traditional boundaries of these two disciplines have somehow inhibited a full understanding of the functioning of and the evolution of economic and legal systems. It has often been the case that these boundaries have had to be reshaped, and sometimes abolished, before either one of the two disciplines could successfully clarify the real life problems arising from the complex institutions of contemporary societies. The contributions to this volume encompass some of the core controversial issues in law and economics arising from interactions between legal orderings and economic institutions. They include:the nature of institutional and legislative change and the emergence of strong institutional complementarity in legal positionsthe relationship between private orderings and the role of the State in enforcing contracts and defining property rightsthe nature and dynamics of endogenous enforcement and the analysis of governance models and corporate ethics.Part of the renowned Siena Studies in Political Economy series, this book will be an essential read for postgraduates and researchers in the fields of law and economics, and the economics of institutions.

This volume gathers together key new contributions on the subject of the relationship, both empirical and theoretical, between economic oscillations, growth and structural change. Employing a sophisticated level of mathematical modelling, the collection contains articles from, amongst others, William Baumol, Katsuhito Iwai and William Brock.