On Becoming an Exchange: Translating Michel Callon into a Political Economy of Communication

Financial technology and information are more than economic stimuli and commodities, and hence political economists ought to look beyond their discipline to understand the multi-faceted nature of information and technology. Using a case study of trading technologies of Nasdaq stocks prior to the dot...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Micky Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Paderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research Group 2014-11-01
Series:tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/588
Description
Summary:Financial technology and information are more than economic stimuli and commodities, and hence political economists ought to look beyond their discipline to understand the multi-faceted nature of information and technology. Using a case study of trading technologies of Nasdaq stocks prior to the dot-com boom, this paper argues that Michel Callon's writings lend insight to political economists. Three key terms of Callon (Actor-Network Theory; framing: metrology and calculation; and performative economics) are applied to analyse Nasdaq. We suggest how Callon's key terms help understand the dialectics of critical theories. However, Callon's dismissal of capitalism as a macro structure requires political economists' critical appraisal.
ISSN:1726-670X
1726-670X