* Institutional analysis: This examines the role of social institutions, norms, and power structures in shaping economic outcomes. It looks at how things like laws, regulations, customs, and social norms affect economic behavior and market processes.
* Historical context: Non-mathematical economics places significant importance on understanding the historical context of economic events and policies. It argues that economic phenomena can't be fully understood without examining their evolution over time.
* Qualitative methods: Instead of using statistical data and econometrics, this approach utilizes methods like interviews, ethnographic studies, case studies, and textual analysis to understand economic behavior and processes.
* Focus on power dynamics: It often highlights the impact of power relationships, inequality, and social stratification on economic outcomes, often going beyond simple supply and demand models.
* Emphasis on human behavior: While mathematical economics tends to abstract away from individual psychology, non-mathematical approaches often incorporate insights from psychology, sociology, and political science to understand decision-making and behavior.
* Critique of mainstream economics: Some non-mathematical economists are critical of the assumptions and limitations of mainstream (neoclassical) economic models, arguing that they are overly simplistic or neglect important aspects of real-world economies.
Examples of areas where non-mathematical economics is prominent:
* Economic history: Analyzing the historical development of economic systems and institutions.
* Behavioral economics (partially): While some behavioral economics uses mathematical models, much of it relies on psychological experiments and qualitative insights.
* Development economics (partially): Often involves case studies and qualitative research alongside quantitative analysis.
* Institutional economics: Focusing on the role of institutions in economic performance.
* Political economy: Exploring the interplay between political and economic forces.
It's important to note that many economists use a combination of mathematical and non-mathematical methods. The division isn't always strict, and a nuanced understanding of economic issues often requires both quantitative and qualitative approaches. However, non-mathematical economics provides a valuable counterpoint to purely quantitative models, offering rich contextual understanding and challenging the assumptions of mainstream economic theory.