Publication Date
2026
Description
Almeida and Powell (2026) redefine Radical Institutionalism as an approach to inquiry analytically grounded in power, centering hegemonic domination and the demystification of social provisioning processes. This redefinition shifts the tradition’s distinctiveness from its normative commitments to its analytical treatment of power. In light of this analytical reorientation, this article critically revisits William Dugger’s “basic concepts” of Radical Institutionalism. The analysis advances a shift from normative radicalism to analytical radicalism, whereby normativity enters through the elucidation of processes of domination rather than the prescription of political ends. Reconsidering the conceptual apparatus accordingly, the article retains power, process, socialization and rationalization as core analytical tools, while repositioning concepts oriented toward means and ends, such as, incremental versus radical, equality, and democracy, as secondary evaluative reference points requiring prior demystification. The article concludes by outlining future research horizons, arguing intersectional and decolonial perspectives constitute analytically necessary extensions of Radical Institutionalism once power is understood as hegemonic, processual, and culturally mediated. The result is a revitalized conceptual framework capable of diagnosing contemporary forms of domination while expanding the horizon of political contestation without dictating ends.
Type
Working Paper(unpublished)
Department
Economics
Language
eng