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10 Susan Strange: Trading Zones

Abstract

In this chapter, I explore the contribution of Susan Strange’s work to economic geography. The chapter begins by locating her work within the wider field of work on the geographies of money and finance. In particular I emphasize her contribution in two main areas: first, work on the political economy of monetary relations; and second, the centrality of risk and uncertainty within the international financial system. In so doing, the chapter documents how work has been central in demonstrating the importance of a distinctly geographical approach to money and finance. For example, Strange’s work has been vital to the now extensive literature on the role of offshore spaces and place within global finance. The chapter examines how, during the financialized boom of the 2000s, while geographers’ concerns typically moved away from Strange’s research foci, this was not true in cognate social sciences, notably international political economy and heterodox economics that continued to focus on what Strange termed ‘casino capitalism’. I call for Strange’s work to again be placed centrally within work on the geographies of money and finance. I set out how her work is now more important than ever in relation to a number of empirical developments such as financial crises, the reliance on debt finance and profound changes in international monetary relations such as the growing importance of China in the international financial system.

Abstract

In this chapter, I explore the contribution of Susan Strange’s work to economic geography. The chapter begins by locating her work within the wider field of work on the geographies of money and finance. In particular I emphasize her contribution in two main areas: first, work on the political economy of monetary relations; and second, the centrality of risk and uncertainty within the international financial system. In so doing, the chapter documents how work has been central in demonstrating the importance of a distinctly geographical approach to money and finance. For example, Strange’s work has been vital to the now extensive literature on the role of offshore spaces and place within global finance. The chapter examines how, during the financialized boom of the 2000s, while geographers’ concerns typically moved away from Strange’s research foci, this was not true in cognate social sciences, notably international political economy and heterodox economics that continued to focus on what Strange termed ‘casino capitalism’. I call for Strange’s work to again be placed centrally within work on the geographies of money and finance. I set out how her work is now more important than ever in relation to a number of empirical developments such as financial crises, the reliance on debt finance and profound changes in international monetary relations such as the growing importance of China in the international financial system.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents iii
  3. List of Figures vi
  4. Notes on Contributors vii
  5. Acknowledgements xii
  6. Introducing Contemporary Economic Geographies: An Inspiring, Critical and Plural Collection 1
  7. Inspirational Thought Leaders
  8. Doreen Massey: For Political Praxis, Relationality and Contingency 15
  9. Beverley Mullings: Social Transformations, Social Reproduction and Social Justice 27
  10. Susan Christopherson: On (Still) Being Outside the Project 39
  11. J.K. Gibson-Graham: Feminist Geographies and Diverse Economies 51
  12. Jessie Poon: International Trade and Geographies of Finance 65
  13. Linda McDowell: Complex Geographies that Matter 77
  14. Yuko Aoyama: Curiosity as Method 89
  15. Susanne Soederberg: A Critical and Multidisciplinary Global Political Economy 101
  16. Simona Iammarino: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Economy 113
  17. Susan Strange: Trading Zones 125
  18. Critical Debates in Contemporary Economic Geographies
  19. Informal Economies: Towards Plurality and Social Justice 139
  20. Global Economy: Geographies of Production During Crises 153
  21. Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Who Is Forgotten? 165
  22. Consumption: Advancing Postcolonial Perspectives from the Global South 178
  23. Governance: Climate Change and Land Use in the Anthropocene 192
  24. Creativity: An Evolving Critical Debate 205
  25. Industrial Landscapes: From the Geographies of Production to Everyday Life 218
  26. Labour: Reckoning with Inequality through ‘Divisions of Labour’ 232
  27. Economic Development: Political Ecologies of Race 245
  28. Poverty and Inequality: Austerity, Welfare Reforms and Insecurity 259
  29. Charting Future Research Agendas for Economic Geographies
  30. Housing Struggles: Dwelling in Crisis Economies 275
  31. Urban Economies: Learning from Post-Socialist Contexts 289
  32. Migration and Cross-Border Trading 302
  33. Care and Social Reproduction 314
  34. The Future of Creative Industries and Labour 327
  35. Future Finance 340
  36. Disasters and Recovery: Postcolonializing Economic Geography 354
  37. Retail Market Futures: Retail Geographies from and for the Margins 367
  38. Resources and Extraction 381
  39. Workplaces of the Future 395
  40. Postscript: Continuing the Work 407
  41. Index 409
Contemporary Economic Geographies
This chapter is in the book Contemporary Economic Geographies
https://doi.org/10.56687/9781529220599-014

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents iii
  3. List of Figures vi
  4. Notes on Contributors vii
  5. Acknowledgements xii
  6. Introducing Contemporary Economic Geographies: An Inspiring, Critical and Plural Collection 1
  7. Inspirational Thought Leaders
  8. Doreen Massey: For Political Praxis, Relationality and Contingency 15
  9. Beverley Mullings: Social Transformations, Social Reproduction and Social Justice 27
  10. Susan Christopherson: On (Still) Being Outside the Project 39
  11. J.K. Gibson-Graham: Feminist Geographies and Diverse Economies 51
  12. Jessie Poon: International Trade and Geographies of Finance 65
  13. Linda McDowell: Complex Geographies that Matter 77
  14. Yuko Aoyama: Curiosity as Method 89
  15. Susanne Soederberg: A Critical and Multidisciplinary Global Political Economy 101
  16. Simona Iammarino: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Economy 113
  17. Susan Strange: Trading Zones 125
  18. Critical Debates in Contemporary Economic Geographies
  19. Informal Economies: Towards Plurality and Social Justice 139
  20. Global Economy: Geographies of Production During Crises 153
  21. Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Who Is Forgotten? 165
  22. Consumption: Advancing Postcolonial Perspectives from the Global South 178
  23. Governance: Climate Change and Land Use in the Anthropocene 192
  24. Creativity: An Evolving Critical Debate 205
  25. Industrial Landscapes: From the Geographies of Production to Everyday Life 218
  26. Labour: Reckoning with Inequality through ‘Divisions of Labour’ 232
  27. Economic Development: Political Ecologies of Race 245
  28. Poverty and Inequality: Austerity, Welfare Reforms and Insecurity 259
  29. Charting Future Research Agendas for Economic Geographies
  30. Housing Struggles: Dwelling in Crisis Economies 275
  31. Urban Economies: Learning from Post-Socialist Contexts 289
  32. Migration and Cross-Border Trading 302
  33. Care and Social Reproduction 314
  34. The Future of Creative Industries and Labour 327
  35. Future Finance 340
  36. Disasters and Recovery: Postcolonializing Economic Geography 354
  37. Retail Market Futures: Retail Geographies from and for the Margins 367
  38. Resources and Extraction 381
  39. Workplaces of the Future 395
  40. Postscript: Continuing the Work 407
  41. Index 409
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