El retorno a la perspectiva Estado centrista desde los anos 80 ha generado mayor interes por los estudios institucionales; pareciera ser que lo que en su momento constituyo el punto de partida de la Ciencia Politica como disciplina hoy es retomado en su integridad, complejidad y potencialidad. Desde un recuento historico del institucionalismo, este articulo busca llegar a la practica contemporanea denominada neoinstitucionalismo, con el objeto de observarlo en su esencia, componentes, premisas y fundamentos, pero sin dejar de lado las criticas ni el enfoque de estudio de las politicas publicas como campo de aplicacion. Abstract The return to the State-centric perspective since the 80s has generated increased interest in institutional studies; it seems that which once was the starting point of Political Science as a discipline is now resumed in its integrality, complexity and potentiality. This article looks from a historical account of institutionalism; get to the contemporary practice known as neo-institutionalism, in order to observe it in its essence, components, premises and grounds, without leaving aside the critics and with a focus on public policy research as a field of study.