Analyzing order: social structure and value in the economic sphere

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze social order in the economic sphere. This is done by introducing social configurations as a theoretical notion. Configurations combine social structure of interfacing roles with values. The type of configurations studied here are markets, the most central mechanisms in the economic sphere. It is claimed that any market analysis must account for social structure as well as values. The main argument of this article is that the same type of social structure can demonstrate different underlying values and logics in the economic sphere. This is shown in four empirical examples of markets.