Karl Polanyi's Political and Economic Thought: A Critical Guide

The work of Karl Polanyi has become a central reference point for scholars in a variety of traditions and disciplines within the social sciences, including international relations, international political economy, economic sociology and economic anthropology. This book offers a comprehensive introduction to Polanyi’s political and economic thought by examining the key themes that run throughout it: economic ideas, commodification, money, the gold standard, geopolitical economy, the state, class, fascism, democracy and knowledge. Each chapter introduces the relevant aspects of Polanyi’s writings, covering important terminology and the position of the theme in relation to his work more broadly. The contributions seek to engage critically with Polanyi’s ideas, analysing both the strengths and weaknesses, as well as highlighting continuing points of relevance to contemporary issues and debates. The book celebrates the diversity of Polanyi’s political and economic thought whilst encouraging the reader to see it as a whole and not as a set of fragmented concepts. It is an ideal introduction for students engaging with Polanyi’s work for the first time.

Table of Contents:
IntroductionChristopher Holmes 1. Economic IdeasChristopher Holmes and David Yarrow, University of Warwick 2. International Political EconomyRandall Germain, Carleton University, Canada 3. The StateMaria Markantonatou and Gareth Dale 4. ClassSandra Halperin, Royal Holloway, London 5. The Gold StandardSamuel Knafo, University of Sussex 6. MoneyKurtulus Gemici, National University of Singapore 7. CommodificationHüseyin Özel, Hacettepe University, Turkey 8. FascismGareth Dale and Mathieu Desan, University of Colorado, Boulder 9. DemocracyPaula Valderrama, Freie Universität Berlin 10. KnowledgeTilman Reitz, Friedrich Schiller Universität, Jena ConclusionMichael Burawoy, University of California, Berkeley

About the Author :
Gareth Dale is senior lecturer in politics at Brunel University. His books include Reconstructing Karl Polanyi (2016) and Karl Polanyi: A Life on the Left (2016). Christopher Holmes is lecturer in international political economy at King's College London. He is the author of Polanyi in Times of Populism: Vision and Contradiction in the History of Economic Ideas (2018). Maria Markantonatou is assistant professor of political sociology at the University of the Aegean, Lesvos, Greece.

Review :
This is an absolutely terrific volume that will surely make a significant mark on the literature as discussions about Polanyi continue to evolve in the future. The contributors have done a wonderful job inspiring their readers to think even more deeply about what Polanyian scholarship has to offer to our attempts to understand the contemporary world. This ‘critical guide’ is a must read volume ... an illuminating dialogue between the central ideas in Polanyi’s work and the best in current scholarship.