Dear all,

I hope this finds you well. We have an exciting online seminar coming up this Wednesday by Edward Nik-Khah: "California Dreamin': Economists Become Expert Epistemologists for Platform Capitalism”. Béatrice Cherrier will be leading the discussion as the discussant. So, get ready for a friendly yet heated debate! :) There will also be plenty of time for comments and questions from the audience. 

The seminar will take place on 11.10.2023 from 16:00 to 18:00, Helsinki time. I’m providing the abstract of the talk and the Zoom link below. 

I hope to see many of you at the seminar.

Best wishes,
Emrah

ps. Please do not share the Zoom link on social media. If you would like to share the event, you can provide our email address [log in to unmask] so that people can request access.

— 
Speaker: Edward Nik-Khah (Roanoke College)  
Title of the talk: California Dreamin': Economists Become Expert Epistemologists for Platform Capitalism 
Discussant: Béatrice Cherrier (CNRS and CREST, Ecole Polytechnique)
Chair: N. Emrah Aydinonat (University of Helsinki)
Time: Wednesday 11th October 2023 from 16:00 to 18:00 (EEST, Helsinki time)
Place: Online via Zoom
https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/68960890478?pwd=VU1sYTBBSWJ5cUFRTU5sQlV6WkpsUT09
Meeting ID: 689 6089 0478
Passcode: 733043

More information: https://reses-argumenta.fi/?p=913

# Abstract:
The platform firm has emerged as one of the most important yet underappreciated sites for the production of economic knowledge. This paper seeks to address this omission by examining the work performed by a newly christened group of “tech economists” under the auspices of these firms. It situates their work within the larger history of economists’ engagements with information processing. Economists wishing to grapple with the computer would previously ally with the military. Now they would ally with the platform firm. This newest chapter in economists’ attempts to engage with the computer would follow trends previously at work within the profession as economists would increasingly accept an understanding of markets as purpose-built, algorithmic “person-machine systems.” Their concomitant responsibilities would require economists to attune their work to the platform business model.