Insper students, led by Professor Fernando Schüler, participated in the seminar “Foundations of Modern Political Economy”, organized by the Abigail Adams Institute, an independent academic institution that fosters liberal arts education at Harvard University. The event took place from July 16th to 21st on the campus of the US university in the town of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The partnership with the Abigail Adams Institute aims to provide Insper students with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and develop analyses on the formation of the contemporary world.

 

“The central focus of the seminar was to deepen the debate in the field of political and economic theory, exploring the ideas that shaped the modern world, both in the context of constitutional democracy and in the market economy”, says Schüler, who is a professor of Critical Thinking and Ethics at Insper. Throughout the event, attended by students from Insper and Harvard, essential issues for understanding today’s society were debated. “Politics was widely discussed, including the structure of the State, forms of government, the concept of justice and distributive policies. Both positive and normative aspects were addressed, as well as the historical study of institutions and fundamental ideas that contributed to the current scenario”, summarizes Schüler.

 

Five undergraduate students from Insper participated in the seminar: Enrico Nagib, Lucas Arditti, Pedro Madureira, Ricardo Zacberg and Sofia Lucena. “We made an internal selection at Insper, with the help of Professor Fernando Ribeiro. The selection was made based on the essay on one of the topics covered in the seminar and a quick oral presentation”, says Schüler. According to him, this presentation already served as a preparation for the students, since they were all expected to  have an active participation during the seminar.

 

“What makes this seminar special is the Socratic approach adopted by us. In the true spirit of Socrates, it is not a space for expository lectures. The main focus is the debate among participants”, says Schüler. “To ensure everyone’s active and enriching participation, each student received a digital notebook with the reading material two months in advance. Students were expected to prepare well, taking relevant notes and asking two or three questions in each session. And all the students did really well.”

 

Students’ reports

 

One of the students, Pedro Madureira, who is now starting the 6th semester of the Economics undergraduate program, spoke about his participation in the seminar. “It was a week of great debates on political philosophy and economics and an opportunity to learn from great professors and interact with international students. The environment was very good and we learned a lot”, he reports.

 

Pedro explains how he prepared for the event. “The seminar consisted of Socratic debates, that is, everyone had to participate and everyone had to debate. For this, we were given a series of texts that we had to read in advance. I prepared for over a month, reading many texts from the list and other materials that could improve my repertoire to perform well. Reading classic or old books is not part of my daily life, but it was a challenge that was really worthwhile.”

 

Another student who participated in the seminar, Enrico Nagib, from the 5th semester of Economics (and 7th semester of Business Administration), also makes a positive assessment of his experience. “All in all, the trip was very enriching, as it provided me with a deeper understanding of the pillars that support the current democratic world”, he says. “Throughout the event, we had the chance to explore readings from classic thinkers, such as Adam Smith and John Milton, up to contemporary ones, such as Deirdre McCloskey and Michael Sandel — which allowed us to comprehensively analyze the historical bases of current discussions in the field of political economy.”

 

According to Enrico, his participation in the seminar was facilitated by the background acquired in the humanities path at Insper. “The courses of History of Economic Thought, History of Institutions and Capitalism, Sociology and Politics and Critical Thinking and Ethics were essential to broaden my knowledge and allowed me to actively participate in discussions, bringing relevant information and new perspectives”, says the student . “This seminar not only strengthened my understanding of matters of interest, but also contributed to practical insights to be applied in our society. I thank Insper and Professor Fernando Schüler for providing such an enriching event, and I hope that more opportunities like this may arise in the future.”

 

For Schüler, the seminar promoted by the Abigail Adams Institute in partnership with Insper fulfills three important purposes. First, it offers a rich international experience for students, allowing them to connect with a renowned university and interact with American students, in addition to providing a week of intensive debates. Second, it encourages students to read classic texts and deepen their knowledge in political philosophy and economics, something that is not always possible in the regular curriculum. Finally, the program encourages the study of humanities at Insper, balancing technical training with a broader cultural perspective, allowing students to develop their own points of view and ideas. “This broader culture is fundamental for the formation of leaders capable of dealing with social and corporate issues demanded by today’s world. This is the main objective of the seminar. I hope the idea bears fruit and the seminar is held every year.”