Enacting Dismal Science

“This remarkable book brings together philosophical speculation and historical analyses, conceptual work, and in-depth idiography. It provides a spectacular commentary on the ways economic knowledge inhabits and shapes modern capitalism, and on the logics behind its performative effects. A key reading for those who wish to get an idea on how economics gets political; a helpful source for the students of contemporary economic governmentality; and a convincing interdisciplinary endeavor to explore the everlasting tensions between the economic and the social.” (Joseph Vogl, Professor of Modern German Literature, Cultural, and Media Studies, Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany; Permanent Visiting Professor at the Department of German, Princeton University, USA)

“‘Performativity’ has become one of the most widely used and debated concepts in the social sciences. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in this crucial idea.” (Donald MacKenzie, Professor, University of Edinburgh, UK)

“What exactly does ‘performativity’ entail, and what are the implications for questions about agency, novelty, and critique? This volume helps illuminate these questions, drawing on disciplinary contexts and concerns as diverse as institutional theory, corporate governance, anthropology, and ethics. Not just an exemplary contribution, but a persuasive performance of the field it describes.” (Steve Woolgar, Professor of Science and Technology Studies, University of Oxford, UK, and Linkoping University, Sweden)