{"title":"Series: What is Political Economy?","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eWhat is Political Economy?\u003c\/strong\u003e series offers a thought-provoking exploration of the forces shaping our world, blending insights from philosophy, history, finance, and business. Readers can expect a diverse range of perspectives that examine the economic principles underpinning society, from the theory of markets to the intricate relationships between politics and economic systems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEngaging and accessible, these books connect complex ideas to real-world issues, inviting reflection on topics like investment, altruism, policy, and global trade. Whether your interest lies in understanding financial frameworks or broader societal impacts, this collection enriches your grasp of how political and economic realms intertwine.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"consumption-by-mark-hudson-9781509535385","title":"Consumption","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eConsumption\u003c\/em\u003e used to be a disease. Now it is the dominant manner in which most people meet their most basic needs and—if they can afford the price—their wildest desires.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this new book, Ian and Mark Hudson critically examine how consumption has been understood in economic theory before analysing its centrality to our social lives and function in contemporary capitalism. They also outline the consequences it has for people and nature, consequences routinely made invisible in the shopping mall or online catalogue. Hudson and Hudson show, in an approachable manner, how patterns of consumption are influenced by cultures, individual preferences, and identity formation before arguing that underlying these determinants is the unavoidable need within capitalism to realise profit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis accessible and comprehensive book will be essential reading for students and scholars of political economy, economics, and economic sociology, as well as any reader who wants to confront their own practices of consumption in a meaningful way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47362540896492,"sku":"9781509535385","price":35.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/12376103482725.jpg?v=1772890407"},{"product_id":"austerity-by-suzanne-j-konzelmann-9781509534876","title":"Austerity","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAusterity\u003c\/em\u003e has been at the centre of political controversy following the 2008 financial crisis, invoked by politicians and academics across the political spectrum as the answer to, or cause of, our post-crash economic malaise. However, despite being the cause of debate for more than three centuries, austerity remains a poorly understood concept.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book, Suzanne J. Konzelmann aims to demystify austerity as an economic policy, a political idea, and a social phenomenon. Beginning with an analysis of political and socioeconomic history from the seventeenth century, she explains the economics of austerity in the context of the overall dynamics of state spending, tax, and debt. Using comparative case studies from around the world, ranging from the 1930s to post-2008, she then evaluates the outcomes of austerity in light of its stated objectives and analyses the conditions under which it doesn’t – and occasionally does – work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis accessible introduction to austerity will be essential reading for students and scholars of political economy, economics, and politics, as well as all readers interested in current affairs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47430092161260,"sku":"9781509534876","price":35.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781509534876.jpg?v=1774559753"},{"product_id":"economic-rationality-by-stephen-g-engelmann-9781509538119","title":"Economic Rationality","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEconomics used to be called political economy, and the loss of the \"political\" tracks the ascendance of the idea of rational choice within the discipline. Where does this idea of economic rationality – choosing to maximize benefits and minimize costs – come from? What are the consequences of its rise?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this new book, \u003cem\u003eEconomic Rationality\u003c\/em\u003e, Stephen Engelmann assesses these questions through a consideration of the often-hidden links between choice and government, ranging from the Benthamic utilitarianism that inspired modern economics to the contemporary economic psychologists trying to nudge everyone to choose more rationally. Multiple global crises are exposing how deficient economic rationality is as a political theory, since a focus on choice turns actors away from relations in the common. Political economy once targeted aristocratic rule – heralding a politics and ethics of egalitarian self-command and spurring democratic reform – but economics allows domination and forecloses alternatives to it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis accessible volume will be of interest to students and scholars of politics and economics, and to general readers concerned about the various ways that psychology and management have infiltrated our politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47430651904236,"sku":"9781509538119","price":35.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781509538119.jpg?v=1774558898"},{"product_id":"rent-by-joe-collins-9781509539062","title":"Rent","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe problem of rent is at the root of vital social concerns in the twenty-first century, ranging from the climate emergency and spiralling economic inequality to the repercussions of global economic crises. But while many of us may be familiar with rent (especially paying it), how should we really understand it?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExamining both concrete contexts and complex concepts, in this book, Joe Collins provides a comprehensive but concise survey of the theories and debates over rent and rentier capitalism. He examines global gentrification from São Paolo to Dublin, the tyranny of technology from Taipei to San Francisco, and the excesses of extractivism from Sekondi to Karratha. In doing so, he reveals how rent is fundamental to the current dominant form of capitalist social organization across the globe and how we can prevent the next generation from seeing our societies rent asunder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAn essential resource for students and scholars alike, this groundbreaking book will be of interest to anyone working on capitalism, property, political economy, economic sociology, and contemporary politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47432150843628,"sku":"9781509539062","price":35.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781509539062.jpg?v=1774556803"},{"product_id":"value-by-frederick-harry-pitts-9781509535668","title":"Value","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eValue\u003c\/em\u003e seems like an elusive and abstract concept. Nonetheless, notions of value underpin how we understand our lives, from discussions about the economic contribution of different kinds of work and productive activity, to the prices we pay for the things we consume. So what is value, and where does it come from?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this new book, Frederick Harry Pitts charts the past, present and future of value within and beyond capitalist society, critically engaging with key concepts from classical and neoclassical political economy. Interrogating the processes and practices that attribute value to objects and activities, he considers debates over whether value lies within commodities or in their exchange, the politics of different theories of value, and how we measure value in a knowledge-based economy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis accessible and intriguing introduction to the complexities of value in modern society will be essential reading for any student or scholar working in political economy, economics, economic sociology or management.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47461762695404,"sku":"9781509535668","price":35.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781509535668-value.jpg?v=1774976541"},{"product_id":"economic-rationality-by-stephen-g-engelmann-9781509538102","title":"Economic Rationality","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEconomics used to be called political economy, and the loss of the \"political\" tracks the ascendance of the idea of rational choice within the discipline. Where does this idea of economic rationality – choosing to maximise benefits and minimise costs – come from? What are the consequences of its rise?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this new book, \u003cem\u003eEconomic Rationality\u003c\/em\u003e, Stephen G. Engelmann assesses these questions through a consideration of the often-hidden links between choice and government, ranging from the Benthamic utilitarianism that inspired modern economics to the contemporary economic psychologists trying to nudge everyone to choose more rationally. Multiple global crises are exposing how deficient economic rationality is as a political theory, since a focus on choice turns actors away from relations in the common. Political economy once targeted aristocratic rule – heralding a politics and ethics of egalitarian self-command and spurring democratic reform – but economics allows domination and forecloses alternatives to it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis accessible volume will be of interest to students and scholars of politics and economics, and to general readers concerned about the various ways that psychology and management have infiltrated our politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47470497759468,"sku":"9781509538102","price":107.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781509538102-economic-rationality.jpg?v=1775220236"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/series-what-is-political-economy.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}