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China White: Value, uncertainty and order in the Chinese culture industry

  • Jakob Arnoldi*
  • , Scott Lash
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

Abstract

This article reflects on some themes in Harrison White's work in the context of China, where the social and cultural construction of markets is quite literal. We explore how we get markets where previously there were no markets and draw on White's central themes of ‘uncertainty’, ‘value’ and ‘order’. We maintain a distinction, with White and with Frank Knight, of risk, on the one hand, and uncertainty, on the other, where ‘risk’ has to do with entities that are in principle insurable or calculable and ‘uncertainty’ has to do with what is not calculable/insurable. An entrepreneur's decision to enter a market, to invest in and enter a production market, entails what White calls a ‘commitment to facilities’. This, for White and Knight, is inherently incalculable, and hence uncertain. © 2012, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)118-132
JournalThesis Eleven
Volume108
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2012
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publication details (e.g. title, author(s), publication statuses and dates) are captured on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis at the time of record harvesting from the data source. Suggestions for further amendments or supplementary information can be sent to [email protected].

Research Keywords

  • China
  • Harrison White
  • markets
  • risk
  • uncertainty

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