Den nya ekonomin — en kulturhistoria

Abstract

This introduction to a collection of papers on what has been called the New Economy attempts to do an archaeology of the present, exploring the ways in which processes of culturalization have become an important part of production. There is a lot of energy devoted to produce not only material commodities and services but to produce atmosphere, symbols, images, "a feel", icons, auras, experiences and events. It is in many senses a very "cultural economy" we are watching, in which the technologies of imagineering, performance, styling and design play important roles.

The introduction moves on to look at the aesthetics and practices of speed, the cult of creativity, some traits of "the catwalk economy" among actors, "hot spots" and companies and cocnludes by discussing some alternative ethnological approaches to the study of the New Economy.