Current market society celebrates individual freedom to choose. While acknowledging the virtues of non-conformism and market freedom, this economistic dominance is endangering the positive freedom to live in a democratic society, which shapes its future collectively. A democratic mode of living needs to strike the balance between the individual right to choose and the societal necessity of a democratic polity to create rules and infrastructures that enable freedom for all. >>> read in more detail
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Kari Polanyi Levitt: From the Great Transformation to the Great Financialization
Polanyi Levitt, K. (2013): From the Great Transformation to the Great Financialization. On Karl Polanyi and other Essays. London: Zed Books Ltd.
Polanyi Levitt, K. (2020): Die Finanzialisierung der Welt. Karl Polanyi und die neoliberale Transformation der Weltwirtschaft. Weinheim: Beltz Juventa
Kari Polanyi-Levitt’s book ‘From the Great Transformation to the Great Financialization’, that compares the dynamics of the Great Transformation of the 1930s with the Great Financialization of recent decades, has already been published in 2013.
As of April 2020, it will also be available in german. In it, Polanyi Levitt highlights the timeliness of Karl Polanyi and shows him as Hayek’s opponent. Having worked in research and practice of development policies in the Caribbean for many years, Polanyi-Levitt tackles topics like neoliberal globalization, the erosion of national leeway, concepts of a new development and many more.
The german edition can be ordered here in advance: https://www.beltz.de/de/fachmedien/soziologie/produkte/produkt_produktdetails/39138-die_finanzialisierung_der_welt.html
Find the original (english) version here:
https://www.zedbooks.net/shop/book/from-the-great-transformation-to-the-great-financialization/
Dale, Holmes, Markantonatou: Karl Polanyi’s Political and Economic Thought
Dale, G., Holmes, C., Markantonatou, M. (Eds.) (2019): Karl Polanyi’s Political and Economic Thought. A Critical Guide. Newcastle upon Tyne: Agenda Publishing.
Maria Markantonatou, board-member of IKPS, co-edited a new book on Polanyi’s Political and Economic Thought, which was published on 25th July 2019. It offers a comprehensive introduction to Polyani’s and is therefore ideal for students engaging with Polanyi’s work for the first time.
The work of Karl Polanyi has become a central reference point for scholars in a variety of traditions and disciplines within the social sciences, including international relations, international political economy, economic sociology and economic anthropology. This book offers a comprehensive introduction to Polanyi’s political and economic thought by examining the key themes that run throughout it: economic ideas, commodification, money, the gold standard, geopolitical economy, the state, class, fascism, democracy and knowledge.
Each chapter introduces the relevant aspects of Polanyi’s writings, covering important terminology and the position of the theme in relation to his work more broadly. The contributions seek to engage critically with Polanyi’s ideas, analysing both the strengths and weaknesses, as well as highlighting continuing points of relevance to contemporary issues and debates.
The book celebrates the diversity of Polanyi’s political and economic thought whilst encouraging the reader to see it as a whole and not as a set of fragmented concepts. It is an ideal introduction for students engaging with Polanyi’s work for the first time.
It can be purchased here: https://www.agendapub.com/books/68/karl-polanyis-political-and-economic-thought
ÖZS: The Great Transformation and Contemporary Capitalism
Austrian Journal of Sociology (ÖZS), Issue 2/2019
Karl Polanyi: The Great Transformation and Contemporary Capitalism
In June 2019, the ÖZS published an issue focussing on Polanyi’s work and Contemporary Capitalism. It includes articles from our board as well as other authors such as Marcus Gräser, Marguerite Mendell, Bop Jessop, Ngai-Ling Sum, Claus Thomasberger, Michael Brie, Sabine Frerichs, Ernst Langthaler, Elke Schüßler, Klaus Dörre and more.
It can be accessed here: https://www.springerprofessional.de/springerprofessional-de/oesterreichische-zeitschrift-fuer-soziologie-2-2019/16661342
Falter Supplement and Book
Karl Polanyi: Wiederentdeckung eines Jahrhundertdenkers
Brigitte Aulenbacher, Markus Marterbauer, Andreas Novy, Armin Thurnher,
Falter Verlag
In 2018, inspired by the second Austrian Polanyi-conference, as part of which the IKPS was founded, the Austrian weekly newspaper ‘Falter’ published a supplement called ‘Transformation of capitalism?’, which was all about Polanyi’s life and oeuvre.
Right on time for the third congress on Polanyi in Budapest and Vienna in 2019, this supplement – revised and extended by some texts – was published as a book. It includes contributions from Michael Brie, Sabine Lichtenberger, Peter Rosner, Elisabeth Springer, Claus Thomasberger and many more as well as an interview with Kari Polanyi Levitt conducted by Michael Burawoy.
The Falter supplement can be downloaded here (german only): https://wien.arbeiterkammer.at/service/studien/WirtschaftundPolitik/falterbeilagen/Karl_Polanyi.html
The book can be bought here (german only):
https://shop.falter.at/karl-polanyi.html
GLOBAL DIALOGUE VOLUME 9/3
Global Dialogue Vol. 9/3 (December 2019).
Magazine of the International Sociological Association
Aulenbacher/Novy
The issue celebrates the 75th anniversary of Karl Polanyis ‘The Great Transformation’ with various articles covering the intellectual context which has been of relevance for the historical origin of The Great Transformation. Authors like Fred Block, Gareth Dale, Chris Hann or Margaret R. Somers, who wrote a lot on Polanyi’s life and work, contribute to the issue by analyzing a range of economic, social and political developments of the last decades through the lens of Polanyi’s perspectives.
Other topics: Migration, Sociology from Senegal, Migration
Note: At the moment, the issue is only available in English. It will be published in 16 other languages within the next two months.
It can be downloaded here: http://globaldialogue.isa-sociology.org/volume-9-issue-3/
Atzmüller et al.: Capitalism in Transformation.
Atzmüller, R., Aulenbacher, B., Brand, U., Décieux, F., Fischer, K., Sauer, B. (Eds.). (2019): Capitalism in Transformation. Movements and Countermovements in the 21st Century. Edward Elgar Publishing
Presenting a profound and far-reaching analysis of economic, ecological, social, cultural and political developments of contemporary capitalism, this book draws on the work of Karl Polanyi, and re-reads it for our times. The renowned authors offer key insights to current changes in the relations between the economy, politics and society, and their ecological and social effects. They explore the commodification of land, labour, money, care and knowledge, and analyse labour and social movements, right-wing populism and religious fundamentalism. Bringing together insights from different parts of the world and from historical, theoretical and empirical research, the book sheds light on important facets of the crisis-driven transformation of contemporary capitalism.
The book can be purchased here: https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/capitalism-in-transformation
Board members of the IKPS receive Kurt-Rothschild-Preis
We are very happy to announce that our board members Brigitte Aulenbacher, Andreas Novy and Veronika Heimerl, together with Richard Bärnthaler, have received the prestigious Kurt-Rothschild-Preis for their contribution „Karl Polanyi, The Great Transformation and Contemporary Capitalism: Putting the Economy in Its Place“. Continue reading Board members of the IKPS receive Kurt-Rothschild-Preis
Kari Polanyi Levitt: A West Indian from Eastern Europe
Development Lecture ÖFSE – Austrian Research Foundation for International Development
Kari Polanyi Levitt, renowned Canadian development economist and daughter of Karl Polanyi, visited Vienna to participate at the foundation of the International Karl Polanyi Society in May 2018. On this occasion, she gave a lecture at the 14th ÖFSE Development Lecture on the challenges for development economics in the age of neoliberal globalization. Kari Polanyi Levitt received an award for her lifetime achievements by the City of Vienna.
Watch a recording of the whole lecture here:
Kari Polanyi was born in Vienna, where she spent most of her childhood. Her father went into exile in 1933, Kari in 1934 and her mother Ilona, an anti-fascist activist, in 1936. Many central-european intellectuals followed them into exile to Great Britain. Once arrived, they quickly became part of an innovative milieu of expatriates and the british elite, who not only changed economics through the Keynesian Revolution, but also did an important job on development politics.
Read the opening speech, held by Andreas Novy, here: