Institutions, incentives and communication in economic geography

In Institutions, incentives and communication in economic geography, delivered as the prestigious Hettner Lectures at the University of Heidelberg in 2003, Michael Storper presents a challenging perspective on two key issues within contemporary economic and geographical debate. In his first lecture, Storper reconsiders some of the foundations of comparative economics and institutionalism in an analysis of the “societal” and “communitarian” bases of social and economic development. Arguing that the interaction between society and community defines critical incentives for actors, Storper suggests a context-sensitive sociological framework for the institutional analysis of economic development. The second lecture focuses on urban economics and argues that existing models of urban concentrations are incomplete unless grounded in a more precise understanding of the most fundamental aspect of proximity, face-to-face contact. Finally, a biographical interview revisits key geographical sites and theoretical concepts in Storper’s development as one of the world’s leading economic geographers.