{"product_id":"valuing-the-unique-9780691137100","title":"Valuing the Unique","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDealing with economic sociology, this title introduces the theory and practical tools needed to analyze markets for singularities. It shows that because of the uncertainty and the subjective valuation of singularities, the markets related to movies, music, and fine wine are equipped with the 'judgment devices' such as brands, critics and rankings.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"[T]his is an admirable book. It is theoretically rich, illustrated with many, many fascinating examples of real markets, and a wonderful read for all interested in how markets really work.\"--John L. Campbell, Administrative Science Quarterly \"Given the relative scarcity of theoretical models in economic anthropology in the last decade, anthropologists should not simply discard this very ambitious, empirically grounded model of markets of singular products. Taking into account the abundant anthropological literature on the production, circulation and consumption of singularities, it is puzzling and a bit troubling for economic anthropologists that the first theoretical synthesis on the topic comes from a sociologist. But working toward such synthesis is in itself already a great achievement of the book, one anthropologists would do well to emulate.\"--Marian Viorel Anastasoaie, Social Anthropology \"The reader will read this book for its precise and descriptive analysis of markets for which quality is multidimensional, incommensurable, and uncertain.\"--John Baffes, European Review of Agricultural Economics \"In demonstrating the role devices play in cases where markets are constructed against the odds--the book is an important contribution to economic sociology. In the best traditions of defamiliarisation, the book is also a beautiful book.\"--Monika Krause, European Economic Sociology Newsletter\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eList of Illustrations and Tables ix  Preface xi      Part One: An Overlooked Reality  Chapter One: The Problem 3  Chapter Two: Singularities 10  What Are Singularities? 10  A Preliminary Journey 13  The Market of Psychoanalysis 15  Two Models of Singularity 16      Chapter Three: Do We Need Another Market Theory? 21  What Mainstream Economics Could Only Ignore 21  What the \"New Economics\" Chose to Ignore 23      Part Two: Tools for Analysis  Chapter Four: Judgment 35  Can Economic Analysis Ignore Information? 35  Decision and Judgment 36  What Is Judgment? 39      Chapter Five: Judgment Devices 44  Devices Are Representatives 46  Devices Are Cognitive Supports 49  Devices Are Active Forces 51      Chapter Six: Trust Devices 55  Formal Analysis 57  Substantive Analysis 58      Chapter Seven: Homo singularis 67  Value and Instrumentality 68  Shopping 73  The Red Michelin Guide: A Paper Engine 77  How Many Ninth Symphonies Did Beethoven Compose? 80      Chapter Eight: The Metamorphosis of Singularities 87  The Weight of Words 88  Can Sameness Engender Incommensurability? 89      Chapter Nine: The Regimes of Economic Coordination 96  A Classification of the Economic Coordination Regimes 97  Consumer Commitments and Coordination Regimes 103  Interlude 106      Part Three: Economic Coordination RegimesImpersonal Devices Regimes 131  Chapter Ten: The Authenticity Regime 133  The Market of Fine Wines 135  The Hachette and the Parker Guides to Wine 138  The Intelligentsia, Connoisseurs, and the Layman 141  Vulnerability of the French Fine- Wines Market? 144      Chapter Eleven: The Mega Regime 148  Megafilms 148  The Luxury Megafirm 157  The Megabrand 163      Chapter Twelve: The Expert- Opinion Regime 167  Literary Prizes 167  Trendsetters and Gatekeepers 170  Public Quality- Rating Devices 171      Chapter Thirteen: The Common- Opinion Regime 174  Songs 175  Adjustment by the Charts 177  Personal Devices Regimes 181      Chapter Fourteen: The Network- Market 183  The Personal Network 183  The Trade Network 185  The Practitioner Network 186      Chapter Fifteen: The Reticular Coordination Regime 188  Coordination by Shared Convictions 188  Coordination by Belief in Miracle Workers 191      Chapter Sixteen: The Professional Coordination Regime 195  Professional Regime Variants 196  Legal- Services Coordination Regime Variants 203      Chapter Seventeen: Prices 209  Concordance 211  Disproportion 219      Part Four: Finale  Chapter Eighteen: The Historicity of Singularities 229  The Rule of Product Renewal 232  Desingularization of Personalized Services 236  Desingularization of Pop Music 242      Chapter Nineteen: Conclusion: Economics of Singularities and Individualism 255  On Individualism 256  Singularities and Individualism 261  Index 265","brand":"Princeton University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49403761066327,"sku":"9780691137100","price":46.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780691137100.jpg?v=1730484460","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/valuing-the-unique-9780691137100","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}