Pragmatic Sociology of Valuation and Worth

Pragmatic sociology of valuation and worth examines how actors in varying social contexts construct, negotiate and mobilise criteria of value through practical justification. Grounded in a pragmatic turn within social theory, this approach emphasises valuation as an ongoing, relational and situational process rather than a fixed property. Key contributions have centred on the theory of economies of worth, which identifies multiple ‘orders of worth’—such as market, civic, domestic and inspired—that actors invoke to justify choices, actions and institutions. This perspective sheds light on how moral and material criteria interweave in domains as diverse as corporate governance, public policy, urban redevelopment and scientific assessment. By attending to the micro‐processes of justification work—how ‘sayings’ and ‘doings’ are aligned—pragmatic sociology reveals the plural logics at play in controversies and routine practice alike. It highlights the capacity of actors to translate between registers of value, to establish compromises or to expose tensions when orders of worth clash. Recent debates extend this framework by integrating practice theory, exploring temporal dimensions of valuation and by mapping valuation regimes in crisis situations. The global significance of this work lies in its ability to account for both the stability and transformation of social orders, offering practical insights into legitimacy maintenance, institutional repair and the contestation of value in an age of rapid sociotechnical change.

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Pragmatic Sociology of Valuation and Worth publication trend

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Technical terms

Valuation: The process by which actors assess and attribute worth to objects, actions or institutions in context.

Orders of worth: Distinct registers of value—such as market, civic or domestic—that actors invoke to justify decisions and practices.

Justification work: The rhetorical and practical activities through which actors align ‘sayings’ with ‘doings’ to defend or promote a course of action.

Pragmatic sociology: An approach focusing on the situated, interactive processes through which actors negotiate and stabilise social order via problem‐oriented valuation.

References

1. Traduttore, traditore? Gains and losses from the translation of the economies of worth. International Journal of Management Reviews (2023).
2. In Defence of the Indefensible: Exploring Justification Narratives of Corporate Elites Accused of Corruption. Journal of Business Ethics (2024).
3. Imagining beyond nature-culture dualism: An exploration of ecological justice. Organization (2022).
4. Justification regimes and crisis practices: International educational collaboration amidst pandemic and war. European Educational Research Journal (2024).