Introduction to Positive Trespassing

Abstract

This volume is a joint venture — a debate about the basics of a sociology and economics of money. It is unique in being written by scholars from both disciplines who are committed to this task, and in starting from the highly original groundwork of Geoffrey Ingham’s writings that prompted this mutual endeavour. The volume takes a critical look at money’s institutions and shows that crises arise from money’s unresolved tensions. It demonstrates the centrality of money to capitalism and considers the implications of this dominating institution. There is an examination of the further looming worries about the crisis since 2007, which has made this dialogue about the understandings of money particularly timely. Both disciplines have far too much to offer to remain in their present damaging standoff. While we are thankful to see it reducing, remnants are maintained by orthodox economic and sociological theorists who, in spite off all of the crises of the past 30 years, and many before these decades, still argue that money really does not matter, that it is just a mere commodity or symbol of other trends or that, at least in the long run, it is neutral. We suggest that since money is a promise, an understanding of this social relation must be a joint endeavour between economics and sociology.