Books & ideas

Where do our clothes go?

Leslie Belton-Chevallier — 2026-01-13T06:30:00Z

The international and industrialized market for used or secondhand clothes—known in French as “fripes” - is not a genuine alternative to “fast fashion”. Rather, it preserves, pursues, and reproduces economically, socially, and symbolically the characteristics of the market for new clothes.

The four paradigms of the European regulatory state

Samuel B.H. Faure — 2025-02-06T08:14:00Z

The “Europe of the market” has dominated European social and economic policy since 1945. Yet three other models have opposed the liberal paradigm: solidarity, neomercantilism, and ultra-liberalism.

Private Means for Public Ends

Ingo Venzke — 2024-09-24T04:30:00Z

The EU aims for net climate neutrality by 2050, utilizing the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) as its main tool. But the climate crisis demands more than market mechanisms. It requires comprehensive planning and legal frameworks that prioritize public over private interests.

Neoliberal Statecraft

Colin Crouch — 2021-06-21T07:00:00Z

The last few decades have been marked by a profound reconfiguration of the dividing line between the state and the market. As the state increasingly ensures that market competition functions without impediments, the field of intermediation and influence is experiencing an unprecedented expansion.

How Austerity is Worsening Coronavirus

Matthew Soener — 2020-06-04T07:00:00Z

The Covid-19 virus follows years of austerity politics in Europe and this market-driven ideology is already shaping discussions of how we should handle it. This article examines the way these decisions have affected our ability to respond to the current epidemic.

Neoliberalism à la française

Matthew Soener — 2020-02-03T08:00:00Z

From Mitterrand's “rigueur” to Hollande's “mandate,” Bruno Amable charts the transformation of French capitalism and reveals the making of a political crisis.

Man the Consumer

Anne de Rugy — 2018-12-20T10:52:52Z

Using a variety of documents and sources, Louis Pinto traces the genesis of the category of “the consumer” as a central feature of market economy and society. But in doing so, he risks downplaying the insights of critical theory and the opportunities for politicization tied to this distinct form of social participation.

The Price of the Planet

Nicolas Bouleau — 2018-12-12T07:00:00Z

By setting the prices of raw materials, financial markets influence our relation to the environment. Nicolas Bouleau examines the environmental governance of these markets and invites us to shift our priorities away from economic logics toward a concern for nature and for the long term.

Beyond Commodification

Élodie Bertrand — 2018-11-01T08:00:00Z

More and more things are being commodified, from body parts to personal data. This raises not only ethical questions, but also legal and economic problems. What are the limits of commodification? And what are alternatives when we nonetheless need to transfer some of these things?

The Corporate Dictatorship

Léna Silberzahn — 2018-06-21T07:00:00Z

In the 18^th century, the free market emerged as a vehicle for equality, giving people freedom from managers' authority. However, as Elizabeth Anderson explains, this is no longer the case: corporations' power over their employees is now entirely dictatorial.