What Feeds on What? Networks of Interdependencies between Culture and Institutions

Nadia von Jacobi () and Vito Amendolagine

No 2021/13, DEM Working Papers from Department of Economics and Management

Abstract: We propose a methodology inspired by ecology to map the complex interdepen- dencies between cultural and institutional factors - controlling for other socioeco- nomic and structural characteristics. We characterize interdependencies as asym- metric symbiotic relations, distinguishing between ‘hosts’ that nurture other factors and ‘symbionts’ that reversely feed on the former. We use correlation network anal- ysis to compute a map of multiple such interdependencies for Brazil, which has a vast territory, internally diversified historical paths and a multilevel governance structure. We set the empirical analysis at the municipality level and find that in- stitutional factors tend to be symbionts, whereas cultural factors tend to be hosts. However, our results also show that institutions assume multiple roles within a com- plex network of interdependencies, often becoming themselves habitat for others or transmittors of indirect effects.

Keywords: Institutions; Culture; Symbiosis; Correlation network analysis; Brazil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C18 D02 H70 O17 O43 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cul, nep-evo, nep-isf, nep-net and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:trn:utwprg:2021/13

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