Beyond rationality - the complexities inherent in the relationship among economics, politics and the media

Abstract

The present article intends to debate the elucidation of the com- plexities inherent in the context of the economy and its inter- section with the political and media fields. It emphasizes socio- logical contributions specifically from Economic Sociology, to deconstruct rationalities and objective positions that reverbera- te in the political scene through the media. It demonstrates the social tensions and group movements behind economic pres- criptions and debates, drawing attention to the fact that devices, laws and norms originating in the Economy do not depend sole- ly on the rational models produced by the homo economicus, but rather are constructions coming from cultural clashes between worldviews and their advocacy groups. To this end, this article drawns on the specific moment in the Brazilian political scene concerning the dispute over the transition between the FHC and Lula governments, between 2002 and 2003, and the attempts to connect the new government with the possibility of an economic crisis due to its political position.