Debt and Credit in Rural Communities

Financialisation, as a recent, but pressing topic in political economy, has been interrogated as a defining element of the current capitalist form of accumulation after the 1970s (Christopher, 2015). However, approaches to financialisation as a theoretical concept useful for the understanding of capitalist regimes of accumulation has lacked interest in incorporating the experience of peasant communities within finance and account for the process of agrarian change unleashed by it. How are processes of agrarian change affected by financialisation? What does it tell us about current value regimes and forms of accumulation? Does it help us re-examine our current understanding of the operations and histories of capitalism?

This online reading group pays attention to processes of agrarian change unleashed by debt and credit. It looks at the experiences of rural communities, peasants, and workers while also examining the structural transformations produced by finance.

This reading group is convened by Joseph Martínez-Salinas. If you have any queries about the events or reading, please don't hesitate to email.

Session One: Financialisation and Food – 29 April 2021

Session Two: Debt, Agrarian Change and Capitalism – 13 May 2021

Session Three: Debt and Rural Subjectivities – 27 May 2021

Session Four: Finance and Rural Labour – 10 June 2021

Session Five: Vernacular Experiences and Stories – 24 June 2021

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Image courtesy of Joseph Martínez-Salinas.