"Money Beyond Numbers":

International Conference on Money, Markets and Meaning

19-20 July 2025 – London / Online

organised by

London Centre for Interdisciplinary Research

 

Money holds immense power — not just as a medium of exchange but as a cultural symbol, a psychological force, and a social construct. How do we ascribe meaning to money, and how does it shape our identities, relationships and values? What narratives and myths surround its use, accumulation and distribution? From its role in consumer culture to its depiction in literature, art and media, money permeates every aspect of human life, embodying ideals of wealth, power and morality.

This interdisciplinary conference invites scholars, researchers and practitioners to explore various meanings of money and the cultural, psychological and ethical dimensions of wealth. By examining money and markets beyond their economic function, we aim to uncover how they intersect with human experience, social structures and moral frameworks.

 Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Money in literature, film, art and popular culture.
  • How wealth, poverty and consumption shape individual and collective identities.
  • Philosophical and religious perspectives on wealth, greed and economic justice.
  • The psychology of spending, saving and consumption in modern societies.
  • Cultural and social responses to economic downturns and instability.
  • Historical and contemporary debates on the nature and consequences of capitalism.
  • The role of money in shaping political, social and global hierarchies.
  • Digital currencies, crypto-economies and their implications for society and culture.
  • Money’s role in perpetuating or challenging social divides.
  • Anthropological perspectives on the social meanings of exchange.
  • Spatial aspects of financial districts, shopping malls marketplaces.
  • The role of designers in creating symbols of wealth and exclusivity.
  • Gendered experiences of wealth and poverty.
  • Religion, rituals and money.
  • Educational approaches to financial literacy.

The conference seeks to foster interdisciplinary dialogue, drawing from fields such as cultural studies, sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, architecture, media studies, literature and beyond. We welcome contributions from academics, practitioners and creatives interested in probing the deeper meanings of money and markets.

Paper proposals up to 250 words and a brief biographical note should be sent by 15 April 2025  to: money@lcir.co.uk. Download Paper proposal form.

Registration fee (online participation) – 90 GBP

Registration fee (physical participation) – 150 GBP

Provisional conference venue: Birkbeck, University of London