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Institutions · Economic Development · Mediterranean

Salvatore Capasso

Development Economist Director of the Department of Social sciences and humanities, cultural heritage of the CNR

Opportunities are ubiquitous; institutions explain why they translate into development only in certain places.

S. Capasso

Economic development is not predetermined by geography; rather, it is a collective choice embedded within institutions, regulatory frameworks, and social trust.

Why do some societies successfully translate opportunities into development while others fail to do so? For over thirty years, this question has guided my research. The answer, almost invariably, lies in institutions, trust, and the quality of regulatory frameworks.

Since 2023, I have served as the Director of the Department of Social sciences and humanities, cultural heritage of the National Research Council (CNR): thirteen institutes, approximately nine hundred personnel, and the largest public research hub for the humanities and social sciences in Italy.

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Three research questions

Why do certain societies successfully leverage opportunities for development, whereas others fail to transform them?

When do institutions cease to foster growth and begin to impede it?

Can the Mediterranean once again become an area of shared development?

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Where to find me
Department of Social sciences and humanities, cultural heritage
National Research Council (CNR)
Piazzale Aldo Moro 7 — 00185 Rome