Economy, Society and Politics of Contemporary Portugal

At a time when globalization, the impressive speed of information flows, turbulence, volatility and uncertainty characterise the mega environment at the political, economic and social levels, and where, at the same time, we are faced with a heterogeneous performance of European States, it becomes essential the scientific analysis of these issues, in a contemporary historical perspective; its results will allow to lay down reforms and project future sceneries. These changes, close to the lives of the citizens, require a serious attempt of Science at creating an ethical, democratic and developed society through a new global paradigm of sustainable development, organizational learning and social synergies. Thus, the main focus of this Research Group is on the analysis of the transformations of contemporary capitalism, its agents, institutions and processes. Therefore, economy, society, culture, behaviour and politics are closely linked, interacting, focused on Portugal in its space dimension. The research, carried out by a highly qualified multidisciplinary work group, through a solid basic knowledge network and quite different abilities, allows the scientific enrichment of complex study areas and of prevailing phenomena in the Portuguese economy and society. This multidisciplinarity of human resources includes doctorate researchers in the fields of Economy, Management, Contemporary History, Political Sciences, Law, Sociology, Psychology and Psychiatry and Education Sciences. Nevertheless, this heterogeneity is organized in a consistent, coherent way, around three main research angles: “Institutional Economy and Public Choice”, “Society, Culture and Behaviour” and “Political and Institutional History”. The main aims of these research lines are the study of regional, technological and organizational innovation, which might result in important conclusions capable of supporting the definition of national and regional innovation policies, but also the economic analysis of corruption, aiming at identifying its determinant factors in a multidisciplinary and compared study perspective, the public management, the study of important private companies and businessmen from Northern Portugal, and the evolution of the political and institutional history of Contemporary Portugal, especially the municipal power and Parliament.