Introduction to the Special Issue on the Evolution of Institutions
Blyth, Mark, Hodgson, Geoffrey M., Lewis, Orion and Steinmo, Sven
(2011)
Introduction to the Special Issue on the Evolution of Institutions.
Journal of Institutional Economics, 7 (3).
pp. 299-315.
ISSN 1744-1374
How can evolutionary ideas be applied to the study of social and political institutions? Charles Darwin identified the mechanisms of variation, selection and retention. He emphasized that evolutionary change depends on the uniqueness of every individual and its interactions within a population and with its environment. While introducing the contributions to this special issue, we examine some of the ontological positions underlying evolutionary theory, showing why they are appropriate for studying issues in economics, political science and sociology. We consider how these ideas might help us understand both institutional change and the formation of individual preferences.
Item Type | Article |
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Additional information | Original article can be found at : http://journals.cambridge.org/ Copyright Cambridge University Press |
Date Deposited | 15 May 2025 12:13 |
Last Modified | 05 Jun 2025 23:06 |
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