Peopled economies : conversations with Stephen Gudeman

The dominance of neo-classical economics within organizations like IMF, the World Bank and even the UN is currently subject to critique from a wide range of perspectives, including the sociology and anthropology of economy. But disciplinary boundaries hamper the emergence of new theory and of viable alternatives to the regime of neo-classical economics. In contrast, Peopled Economies contributes to a reassessment of issues like poverty, development, and the power of globalization by offering a series of transdisciplinary conversations on economic life, and by asking key questions about the relation between culture and economy. It centres on the writings of one of the world leading economic anthropologists, Stephen Gudeman, who ends the book with a response to his critics and an extension of his work. CONTENTS: Rationality in Economy--An Interdisciplinary Approach Resisting the Black Hole of Neoclassical Formalism in Economic Anthropology The Pitfalls of Postmodern Economics Realism, Relativism, & Reason--What's Economic Anthropology All About? "This original, state-of-the-art volume not only honors the pathbreaking achievement of Stephen Gudeman but also represents a key document in the critique of neo-classical economics and the reconstruction of economic anthropology." � James C. Scott, Sterling Professor of Political Science and Anthropology, Yale University "� The essays in this collection are singularly well argued and relevant. Read, enjoy � and take part in the discussion!" � Richard Swedberg, Professor of Sociology, Cornell University