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Networks in Manuel Castells’ theory of the network society

Author

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  • Anttiroiko, Ari-Veikko
Abstract
This paper discusses the conceptualization of network in Manuel Castells’ theory of network society. Castells’ early academic works were built on the structural analysis of capitalism and social movements in response to the contradictions of capitalist society, without any explicit connection to network analysis. Networks gradually appeared in Castells’ works in the late 1980s, when he became interested in the configuration of the relationships between technology, economy, and society. The culmination of this phase was his opus magnum, The Information Age trilogy, which introduced network as a key concept of his macro theory, even though he remained laconic about the concept itself. This is paradoxical, for Castells became possibly the most prominent figure globally in adopting network terminology in macro sociological theory, but at the same time made hardly any empirical, theoretical or methodological contribution to social network analysis or network theory in general. This implies that ‘network’ in Castells’ social theory is not an analytical concept but rather a powerful metaphor that served to capture his idea of the new social morphology of late capitalism.

Suggested Citation

  • Anttiroiko, Ari-Veikko, 2015. "Networks in Manuel Castells’ theory of the network society," MPRA Paper 65617, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:65617
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gurr, Ted Robert & King, Desmond, 1987. "The State and the City," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226310909, December.
    2. Dan Schiller, 2000. "Digital Capitalism: Networking the Global Market System," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262692333, April.
    3. Peter Waterman, 1999. "Review Article: The Brave New World of Manuel Castells: What on Earth (or in the Ether) is Going On?," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 30(2), pages 357-380, April.
    4. Margit Mayer, 2006. "Manuel Castells’The City and the Grassroots," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 202-206, March.
    5. Manuel Castells, 2002. "Local and Global: Cities in the Network Society," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 93(5), pages 548-558, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Manuel Castells; network; network society; The Information Age; social theory; political economy; capitalist society; late capitalism; informational city; social morphology;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • B31 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - Individuals
    • B51 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Socialist; Marxian; Sraffian
    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • F60 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - General
    • F63 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Economic Development
    • F68 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Policy
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H7 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations
    • I0 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General
    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers
    • L16 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Industrial Organization and Macroeconomics; Macroeconomic Industrial Structure
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • L5 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • O2 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • P1 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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