The University of Leicester Management School, CRESC Social Life of Methods and Charisma are delighted to announce that Bill Maurer and Vincent Lepinay will be giving an open lecture as part of the ‘Understanding the Knitting: new methods for investigating the interactions of low and high finance’ workshop. The lecture will take place in the Open University church at Walton Hall campus on 20 June at 5pm. It will be introduced by John Law and followed by a drinks reception. This is an open event but places are limited so do get in touch for further information and to reserve a place.

Bill Maurer | Counting Loops and Rows: Knitting Formulas, Fates and Infrastructures for Finance

Where are the fibers and knots in the anthropology and social studies of finance? How can we read them, and what do they tell us? Getting in-between the work of speculation and investment, interest and capital formation, this talk goes into the warp and weft of payment — the technological infrastructures facilitating value transfer — exploring how bits of fabric that don’t match and networks that mesh only incompletely work well enough to, well, work. Payment as a problem shows how you can tug at one loose end and the analytical and empirical Fates of our spinning, cutting and measuring reveal just so many drop stitches. These reflect problems with our needles but also open all manner of holes that help keep the money-world revolving.

Vincent Lepinay | Noise traders. When low finance helps rescue high finance

Event contact: karen.d.ho@open.ac.uk