Week 12: New Money Forms (Mobile Money and Social Relations)

The focus of both sets of readings this week is mobile money as it is used in various parts of the world (Kenya, Afghanistan, India etc). Here I two questions that I'd like us to focus on in class discussions and in the blog posts: (a) How is mobile money similar and/or different to other forms of payment (cash, electronic banking, credit cards)? (b) How is mobile money used and intertwined with social networks and relations?

Week 10: Ghosts in the Shell Game talk

Share your reflections/ thoughts on Max Woodworth's lecture on informal finance and real estate speculation in China.

Week 11: Diverse economies

What kinds of economic activities are categorized under "diverse economies" and/or "collaborative consumption"? Do do these economic activities entail different arrangement of social relations?