A Cultural Sociology of Economy: A Cultural Approach to Interstate Economic Relations

Mgr. Aung Zaw

Master's thesis

Abstract:

This thesis challenges basic theoretical assumptions of mainstream economics, such as the notion of utility-maximizing rational individuality and oversimplification of economic actors and relations. Building on new economic sociology, this paper, instead, argues for the centrality of cultural structures such as binary codes, symbols, metaphors, worldviews, emotions, and narratives that give meaning to and shape economic transactions and relations. By focusing on culture as the source and the driving force for economic activities which are embedded in specific historical-social milieu, economic life is given a multidimensional and thus a comprehensive analysis. To thickly account for economic life, tools of the strong program in cultural sociology such as structural hermeneutics and cultural pragmatics are utilized. While structural hermeneutics unpacks codes, metaphors, and narratives, cultural pragmatics explains how symbolic structures and representations are socially performed and made sense of in economic relations. This cultural sociology of economy is then applied to an empirical study of Myanmar-China economic relations. It seeks to bring to full view what seems to be, from neo-classical economics’ perspective, bizarre economic relations between the two countries, by uncovering cultural elements, decoding their meanings, and accounting for how they structure the economic relations.

Keywords

Mainstream economics, new economic sociology, cultural sociology, metaphor, worldview, narrative, social performance

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 25. 5. 2015

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 16. 6. 2015
• Supervisor: Dr. Werner Binder
• Reader: doc. Bernadette Nadya Jaworsky, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
Sociology / Cultural Sociology (Eng.)