Bites of Inequality – Christopher Swader
Has loneliness become a market? On the commodification of social estrangement and its implications for social inequality.
In this talk, Christopher Swader expands on Karl Polanyi’s ideas regarding the intertwining of economy and society to argue that the temporary loneliness reduction is already a key function of the ‘interactive services’ within the wider consumer sector that has come to dominate post-industrial economies.
He then discusses the social-inequality consequences of this ‘loneliness economy’ and lays out two empirical projects designed to assess evidence for these claims. These projects challenge recent calls to solve the loneliness epidemic through for-profit business initiatives.
More about the speaker on Bluesky, LinkedIn, Facebook and his website.
About the series:
Bites of Inequality is a midday panel discussion by the LMU Institute of Sociology in cooperation with the ISI, which brings together science and the public in an open format. The focus is on current research on social inequality, presented and discussed in an accessible form.
The talks take place on Tuesdays from 12:15pm to 1:45pm in the new premises of ISI, Ohmstraße 8.
The series is in LSF under Comparative Stratification Research (event number 15222) recorded.
A participation in Bites of Inequality Although it is also via Zoom possible, but it is reserved for those who really can't be there. The spirit of the event depends on personal exchange and direct encounter — we are all the more pleased if you experience this together with us on site.