Universität zu Köln

Schmidt, Mario . Incommensurate abstractions and the (re)quantification of monetary amounts: how Western Kenyans measure and are measured in a behavioral economic experiment. J. Cult. Econ.. ABINGDON: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. ISSN 1753-0369

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Abstract

Revolving around a behavioral economic experiment on temporal discounting conducted in collaboration with a behavioral economist in a Western Kenyan village, this paper excavates a specific type of (re)quantification. The participants of our experiment translated monetary amounts into units of what locally constitutes a satisfying meal. This 'incommensurate abstraction' is interpreted as being grounded in a disentangling of money's numerical character from its potential of abstraction which results in a methodological impasse. Facing the loss of the stabilizing power of an incremental numerical system that allegedly enables and facilitates the commensuration and comparability of monetary amounts, we could no longer control the experiment and had to resort to innovative practices of 'cooking data' which, ultimately, were doomed to fail.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Schmidt, Mario UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-333640
DOI:	10.1080/17530350.2020.1763426
Journal or Publication Title:	J. Cult. Econ.
Publisher:	ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Place of Publication:	ABINGDON
ISSN:	1753-0369
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language MONEY; ANTHROPOLOGY; WEIRD Multiple languages Cultural Studies; Economics; Sociology Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/33364