Cash, bitcoin, debt – contemporary forms of money from sociological perspective

elective courses

(in Polish) Moduł: Problemy

Ukończenie zajęć dających podstawę z zakresu teorii socjologicznych.

Classroom

We already know that for money to be in circulation it does not have to be a coin or a banknote, or even a magnetic card, it does not have to be authenticated by the central bank, and the issue of the solvency of the one who takes the money and the one who multiplies the money is relative. The aim of the course is to learn and discuss sociological perspectives on the understanding of money and sociological diagnoses of its contemporary manifestations. The classes will be based on reading the classics of the sociology of money and contemporary analyzes of the transformation of money as a medium of exchange. We will focus on several key dimensions of the analysis: mechanisms of credibility, mediation, (mediations) of the cultural meaning of money, digitization and valuation.

We already know that for money to be in circulation it does not have to be a coin or a banknote, or even a magnetic card, it does not have to be authenticated by the central bank, and the issue of the solvency of the one who takes the money and the one who multiplies the money is relative. Digital platforms are working on their own currencies to anticipate the spread of blockchain money systems (such as bitcoin) and at the same time replace money authenticated by central banks. All this to eliminate intermediaries (payment systems) and replace authenticating institutions (central banks). So is it time to say goodbye to the "NBP payment method"? What happens to the money? Or maybe all these manifestations can be explained and thought through by existing analyzes of money, present in sociology and anthropology? The aim of the classes is to learn and discuss sociological perspectives on the understanding of money and sociological diagnoses of its contemporary manifestations. The classes will be based on reading the classics of the sociology of money and contemporary analyzes of the transformation of money as a medium of exchange. We will focus on several key dimensions of the analysis: mechanisms of credibility, mediation, (mediations) of the cultural meaning of money, digitization and valuation.

Caliskan, K. (2020). Data money: The socio-technical infrastructure of cryptocurrency blockchains. Economy and Society, 49(4), 540-561.

Caliskan, K. (2020). Platform works as stack economization: Cryptocurrency markets and exchanges in perspective. Caliskan, K, 115-42

Espeland, W.N., M.Stevens. (1998) „Commensuration as a Social Process”. Annual Review of Sociology 24 (1 styczeń 1998): 313–43.

Lamont, M. (2012). Toward a Comparative Sociology of Valuation and Evaluation. Annual Review of Sociology 38, nr 1 (11 sierpień 2012): 201–21. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-120022.

Lewicki M., Tuszko F. (2022). Oswajanie płynności. O relacji między materialnością a wartością dzieł sztuki na przykładzie polskich aukcji NFT; w Widok. Teorie i Praktyki Kultury Wizualnej, nr 4 2022;

Lotti, L. (2016). „Contemporary Art, Capitalization and the Blockchain: On the Autonomy and Automation of Art’s Value”. Finance and Society 2, nr 2 (19 grudzień 2016): 96–110. https://doi.org/10.2218/finsoc.v2i2.1724

Maurer, B. (2006). The anthropology of money. Annu. Rev. Anthropol., 35, 15-36.

O'Dwyer, R. (2023). Tokens: The Future of Money in the Age of the Platform. Verso Books.

Simmel, G. (2007) Pieniądz w nowoczesnej kulturze w: Filozofia kultury: wybór esejów. Eidos. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego

Simmel, G. (1997) Filozofia pieniądza. Poznań: Wydaw. Fundacji Humaniora, 1997.

Zelizer, V. A. (1989). The social meaning of money:" special monies". American journal of sociology, 95(2), 342-377.

Knows and understands basic sociological concepts

Understands the social nature of relationships between individuals, social groups and social institutions

Understands the specificity of sociological analysis

Has basic knowledge of the norms and rules governing social structures and institutions

Has basic knowledge about the functioning of the economy and its relations with other social institutions

Has basic knowledge about the processes forming the basis of social stability and change, and understands their nature

Is aware of the consequences of choosing a particular theoretical perspective

Can interpret past and present social events (political, cultural, and economic) using sociological concepts and theories

Can independently form simple judgments on the causes of selected social processes and phenomena

Can use basic theoretical categories to describe social changes in modern societies

Can use academic knowledge acquired in social practice

Can discuss measures presented as solutions to particular social problems (in micro and macro scale), based on acquired knowledge

Can formulate a general evaluation of a measure undertaken to solve a particular social problem, based on acquired knowledge

Can comprehend a scientific text and identify its main theses and the author’s arguments, as well as discuss them

Can share the acquired sociological knowledge

Can find, gather and synthesize information about social phenomena

Can participate in a discussion

Can argue a thesis

Can critically assess sources

Can present results of his/her own research

Respects dignity of persons participating in a study (respondents, informers, interviewees and other participants)

Respects opinions of other people, for instance those expressed in a group discussion

Is aware of the consequences of ongoing projects

Presence, essay and presentation