‘No Cash, Friend. Digital India.’ 48 Hours in the Indian Cashless Economy In November last year, without any previous warning, prime minister Modi declared 86% of India’s currency worthless overnight. Is India ready for a cashless economy? I put it to the test and spent two days navigating New Delhi without cash. Tim van de Meerendonk • April 07, 2017
Towards a heterodox and reflexive economics After the 2008 financial crisis, the call for a more heterogeneous approach to studying and teaching economics intensified. But how can heterodoxy take up a more prominent place in economic science? A Cultural Anthropologist offers three suggestions. Erik Bähre • October 25, 2016 • 8 comments
Moralising misfortune: The morality of life insurance Erik Bähre has received an ERC Consolidator Grant for research on the morality of life insurance. What issues are raised when insurance companies define responsibility and solidarity? Has insurance changed since the crisis of 2007? Erik Bähre • January 05, 2016 • 1 comment
My Airbnb home is my market Is Airbnb a wonderful economic alternative based on sharing and morality? Or is it simply an illustration of our labour market being so problematic that people get more creative to make ends meet? A former Airbnb member tells her side of the story. Nikkie Buskermolen • June 16, 2015 • 1 comment
My home is my (Airbnb) castle? In Amsterdam there are over 10,500 Airbnb addresses. ‘The easiest way for people to monetise their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.’ Why does this ‘monetise your extra space’ resonate so well? And what about the neighbours? Nikkie Buskermolen • February 26, 2015 • 6 comments
A fictive birthday with real debts In Cape Town, the members of Zolani Club get together to celebrate the birthday of one of their members. The birthday is not real, but the debts are. Erik Bähre • January 22, 2014
Youngsters and the new credit counter In 2011, one in eight youngsters applied for debt counselling (schuldhulpverlening), with their debts running up to €30,000. Why do so many young people have such large consumer debts? Erik Bähre • May 13, 2013 • 2 comments
Economy as pseudo-nature: what’s the problem? Economists make a mistake when they make us belief that the economy is a natural force. Economy is not nature. There is no economy outside of human relations, except maybe for monkeys grooming each other. Economy is society and culture. Erik Bähre • April 22, 2013
