Is there a moral economy of capitalism? The term "moral economy" was coined in pre-capitalist times and does not refer to economy as we know it today. It was only in the nineteenth century that economy came to mean the production and circulation of goods and services. At the same time, the term...

Machine generated contents note: Introduction: Commerce and its discontents; 1. Bon luxe, mauvais luxe: a language of commerce; 2. Doux commerce, commerce odieux: the commerce in humans; 3. Cette odieuse piraterie: defining piracy; 4. Indigne atelier: monopoly and monopolists; Conclusion: Commerce...

The concept of "performativity" has risen to prominence throughout the humanities. The rise of financial derivatives reflects the power of the performative sign in the economic sphere. As recent debates about gender identity show, the concept of performativity is also profoundly influential on...

Chapter One: Usury, Sodomy, and Idolatry -- Chapter Two: Performativity in Postmodernity -- Chapter Three: The Commodification of Rhetoric in Classical Athens -- Chapter Four: Witchcraft and Representation in Early Modern England -- Chapter Five: Commodification and Performativity in Eucharistic...