Abstract

The goal of this paper is to present an interdisciplinary space for productive conversation between economists and sociologists. Toward this I discuss two broad existing approaches for theorizing the economic and direct those into the emerging paradigm of complexity theory. I first outline the neoclassical model of the economy. Following this, I present the critique which has emerged from economic sociology and outline the field’s most powerful theoretical alternatives. Following this I provide a brief description of an emerging framework which I believe follows naturally from existing work in the field and represents the future trajectory of economic sociology. complexity theory, I suggest, offers an opportunity to synchronize efforts in economic sociology, but also to stimulate a discourse with neoclassical economics – especially when considering ‘markets’ for ‘cultural goods’ - which I suggest would be just about all goods.