The Commodification of Knowledge and Information

Tools

Rotta, Tomas and Teixeira, Rodrigo. 2019. The Commodification of Knowledge and Information. In: Matt Vidal; Tony Smith; Tomas Rotta and Paul Prew, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Karl Marx. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 379-401. ISBN 9780190695545 [Book Section]

Preview

Text
Rotta and Teixeira (2018) - The Commodification of Knowledge and Information - %5b20june2018%5d.pdf - Accepted Version
Download (303kB) | Preview

Official URL: https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfor...

Abstract or Description

This entry presents an analysis of the commodification of knowledge and information in contemporary capitalism. We provide a consistent account of how information as a commodity effects the workings of both capitalism and of Marxist theory. The first part of the chapter critically revisits Marx’s own writings on the commodification of knowledge and how the immaterial labor hypothesis initially interpreted these writings. Based on the new categories knowledge-commodity and knowledge-rent, we then present our own approach in response to the challenges raised by the immaterial labor hypothesis. Lastly, there is an analysis of the more recent contributions on the commodification of knowledge and information within the Marxist literature. The current debate on the value of knowledge has been divided between two camps: the reproduction cost approach and the average cost approach. Finally, there is a look at empirical estimates of the magnitudes of knowledge-rents.

Item Type:

Book Section

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190695545.013.23