Embeddedness In The Brazilian’s Food Markets: An Institutionalist Approach

Abstract

The present paper aims to analyse the embeddedness of the economy in different Brazilian agrifood markets from an institutionalist approach. Based on a set of authors, bibliographic references, and interviews, it proposes to complement the debate on markets in rural and economic sociology that preferential uses network and field approaches in its analyses. The argument defended is that social actors, before establishing economic networks and transactions or positioning themselves within the economic field (market), already share a set of common cultural values (institutions) that are responsible for building the local markets in which they interact. From empirical research, it is demonstrated how the process of embeddedness of the economy in three Brazilian food markets - the Central Fair of Campina Grande/PB, the Fair of Caruaru/PE, and the Small Producer Fair of Passo Fundo/RS - are built and reproduced through four main social institutions: bargain, the variety of products offered, the price and the quality attributed to the food. In turn, these institutions are responsible for guiding the marketing and consumption practices of the actors in the researched markets.