From coins to code: the social consequences of new forms of money

As contemporary practices of value evolve, we turn our attention to the transformation of money – digital, domestic, and global forms – and its consequences on social organisation. 

Through an interdisciplinary dialogue among economists, social scientists, artists, and practitioners, we will investigate the moneyness of cryptocurrencies, the value frameworks embedded in Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and the implications for local communities. It will be a unique scholarly meeting at SOAS.

If you are interested in the social consequences of new forms of money, please join us to unpack the contemporary imaginaries of value and the future of money, including the role of art and design in shaping and being shaped by them. A public event will take place on December 17 from 16:30 to 19:00, where we will screen the film Bank Job by artists Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell. The screening will be followed by a discussion with a panel of artists, economists and social scientists on value, technology and trust in the contemporary digital economy.

The event is organized by Costas Lapavitsas (SOAS), Erling Björgvinsson (Univ. of Gothenburg), Dave Beech (Univ of the Arts, London) and Elena Raviola (Univ. of Gothenburg) and is generously funded by SOAS and the Swedish Research Council through the research environment Imaginaries of Value at the University of Gothenburg.