The Human Economy

"With its interdisciplinary and cosmopolitan approach, [The Human Economy] gives a unique introduction into alternative ways of thinking about our economy that are rarely mentioned in public debates...This book should be compulsory reading for social scientists,especially economists." Museum Anthropology Review "A fascinating and very useful read for those interested in how to change the present crisis-ridden economic system." Morning Star "Here, in thirty-two short chapters by an interdisciplinary and international group of scholars and activists, one can learn the basics of microcredit, feminist economics, corporate social responsibility, community participation, alternative energy, and digital commons (among others)." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute "This book is a treasure trove for everyone trying to bring the common good and democratic political agency back into economics. International in scope, imaginative in spirit, it brings together the diverse experiences and ideas that could make possible a transition to a social, ecological and democratic global economy. It is a rich resource for emancipatory politics." Hilary Wainwright, Fellow, Transnational Institute, Co-editor, Red Pepper "For a nanosecond after the current financial collapse that threatens to engulf all, politicians, the media and decision-makers spoke of the need to build a new, humane, and needs-oriented economy. Quickly, analysis returned to how best to regulate capitalist profligacy, and restore old institutions, assuming this will return things to normal. This book, with its rich ideas and diverse examples, exposes the limitations of such thinking and traces the outlines of an alternative economic system with greater promise." Ash Amin, Durham University

Keith Hart is Emeritus Professor at Goldsmiths, University of London. Jean-Louis Laville is Professor of Sociology at the Conservatoire national des arts et metiers. Antonio David Cattani is Professor of Sociology at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul.

Building the human economy together (Keith Hart, Jean-Louis Laville & Antonio David Cattani). Part One: World society. Globalization (Thomas Hylland Eriksen). Global public goods (Philip Golub & Jean-Paul Marechal). International organizations (Francois-Xavier Merrien & Angele Flora Mendy). Development (Keith Hart & Vishnu Padayachee). Alter-globalization (Geoffrey Pleyers). Part Two: Economics with a human face. Plural economy (Jean-Louis Laville). Ecological economics (Sabine U O'Hara). Feminist economics (Julie A Nelson). Fair trade (Alfonso Cotera Fretel & Humberto Ortiz Roca). Labour economy (Jose Luis Coraggio). Microcredit (Jean-Michel Servet). Informal economy (Keith Hart). Part Three: Moral politics. Citizenship (Paulo Henrique Martins). Corporate social responsibility (Anne Salmon). Welfare (Adalbert Evers). Gift (Alain Caille). Moral economy (Chris Hann). Communism (David Graeber). Part Four: Beyond market and state. Third sector (Catherine Alexander). Solidarity economy (economie solidaire) (Jean-Louis Laville). Community participation (Marilyn Taylor). Local development (John M Bryden). NGOs (David Lewis). Social capital (Desmond McNeill). Social enterprise (Jacques Defourny & Marthe Nyssens). Social entrepreneurship (Lars Hulgard). Part Five: New directions. Community & complementary currencies (Jerome Blanc). Digital commons (Felix Stalder). Mobility (John Urry). Alternative energy (Arnaud Sales and Leandro Raizer). Worlds of emancipation (Antonio David Cattani). Contributors. Index.