Overview

Karl Polanyi is one of the most influential social scientists of our era. A report of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) begins by noting that we are in a ""Polanyi era"": a time of dangerously unregulated markets, where the greatest need for decisive political action is matched by the least trust in politics. This handbook provides a comprehensive of recent research on Polanyi’s work and ideas, including the central place occupied by his thinking on the relationship between economics and politics. The stellar line-up of contributors to this book explore Polanyi’s work reflecting the intrinsic interdisciplinarity of Polanyi’s approach to understanding our society, its place in history, its fundamental dynamics, and its contradictions, as well as the methodological issues he raises. The handbook broadly follows a chronological structure beginning with influences on Polanyi, his formative experiences and early works. A significant section is dedicated to Polanyi’s seminal work, The Great Transformation, and its impact. Further sections also look at Polanyi’s wider influence, on various disciplines and methodological debates, and his ongoing relevance for present-day issues including debates on populism, neoliberalism and low carbon transitions. This handbook is a vital resource for students and scholars of economics, politics, sociology, and other social sciences.

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9781032373843

Table of Contents

Reviews

“Karl Polanyi made seminal contributions to political economy, social theory, and anthropology, as well as providing a running commentary on the epochal changes that were unfolding in his time. This collection of essays explores his ideas on a multitude of topics—fascism, science and technology, institutionalism, and all points in between. Comprehensive in coverage and expertly curated, this is a welcome addition to the burgeoning literature on Polanyi’s life and work.” Gareth Dale, Reader in Political Economy at Brunel University, London “This collection of articles by leading Polanyi scholars transcends disciplinary boundaries. By addressing the wide range of issues that preoccupied Polanyi over a lifetime, readers will also discover their remarkable coherence. Throughout his writings, Polanyi insisted upon the societal consequences of disembedding the economy from society. Today, the urgent need to rethink the relationship between the economy, society and nature, draws upon the work of Karl Polanyi. This handbook is not only a major contribution to Polanyi scholarship; it is major contribution to an intellectual counter-movement to the dominant paradigm.” Marguerite Mendell, Director of the Karl Polanyi Institute of Political Economy, Concordia University, Montreal “This handbook is a timely contribution to ongoing debates of putting the economy in its place. It compiles contributions by renown scholars debating key Polanyian concepts as well as exploring Polanyian insights for better understanding contemporary political economy. A must-read for scholars researching ongoing multiple crises and societal transformations.” Andreas Novy, President of the International Karl Polanyi Society, WU Vienna University of Economics

Author Information

Michele Cangiani, Università Ca’ Foscari, Venezia, Italy Claus Thomasberger, University of Applied Sciences, Berlin, Germany

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