The University of Brasilia (UnB) was founded in 1962, following the ideas of Anisio Teixeira and Darcy Ribeiro. The architect Oscar Niemeyer designed its main building, the Central Institute of Science (ICC). The undergraduate course in Economics was started in 1963, the MSc degree in 1973 and the PhD program in 1997. Over the years, our department of Economics has been committed to teaching and research at the frontier of the discipline. One main characteristic has been its pluralistic vision in its approach to economic analysis, and its respect for different branches that the evolution of socioeconomic ideas has shown. We are happy to publish this volume in order to celebrate the 21th anniversary of the PhD Program of the department and the publication of the proceedings of the First International Colloquium in the same year. Our department has a solid reputation for excellence on teaching and research. We believe in the potential for economic study to improve the human condition. Our aim is to teach and to generate viable, effective responses to important socioeconomic problems. We are concerned with issues that profoundly affect the quality of life in industrialized nations and developing economies. In its endeavours, the Department of Economics places emphasis on alternative theoretical and practical legacies, either orthodox or heterodox.