Customer Reviews

Markets from Networks: Socioeconomic Models of Production

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I agree that this book is not very easy to read. The book seems to be full of esoteric terms with insufficent explanations and little reference to the real world. However, the author seems to have taken the road because he has too much to explain in a single book.
Theories of market abound among economists, political scientists, anthropologists, and sociologists. Among them, this is one of the best that takes seriously the social structure of real markets. In and across markets, social structures and stories about them arise, persist, and begin to control things. If a reader invests some time, it is not that difficult to understand what the author wants to say.
The book "Identity and Control" is a theoretical companion to this book. (The second edition is easier to read.) However, I do not belive we have to understand the theory book in order to taste the essence of this book on SOCIAL STRUCTURES of the real markets.
Besides, this book has huge potential for further development of structural theories of markets. I believe this book is a must for economic sociologists as well as economists and business administration majors.

As time goes by, every profession starts developing an own language with insider terms and insider meanings. That's how it is. Now, there are strong differences in the willingness of using those terms. A physician may tell you you have a cold, or he may start using latin terms to impress you. It seems to me that sociologists are of the second kind. This book is a good example. Written by a respected representative of the profession, it shows all maximes of reader-unfriendly writing:
Start with a misterious preface and introduction !
Use as many insider terms as you can !
Do not explain your terms !
Argue in circles and winding lines !
Explain easy things the most difficult way, but call it a "theory" !
Sociologists may not be aware, but their image outside their sect is not as good as they would like. Books like this one help deepen the feeling that sociologist hide behind a linguistic barrier to hide the fact they have little to say.