Material consequences : the return of inflation and the value of price indexation
(2026) In Journal of Cultural Economy- Abstract
Inflation is not merely a shift in the value of money, it is also involving a redistribution of value. While some groups are severely affected by inflation, others profit from it. So, who bears the costs of inflation: corporations, employees, or consumers? And how is this redistribution taking place, by which devices? This study takes a critical look at a central device used in various markets: the price index. Despite its significance in representing inflation and mitigating inflationary risks in long-term contracts, price indexation has not been extensively explored in previous studies in the sociology of markets. Focusing on the evolution of a price indexation device in Sweden’s public transport market, this study explores how this... (More)
Inflation is not merely a shift in the value of money, it is also involving a redistribution of value. While some groups are severely affected by inflation, others profit from it. So, who bears the costs of inflation: corporations, employees, or consumers? And how is this redistribution taking place, by which devices? This study takes a critical look at a central device used in various markets: the price index. Despite its significance in representing inflation and mitigating inflationary risks in long-term contracts, price indexation has not been extensively explored in previous studies in the sociology of markets. Focusing on the evolution of a price indexation device in Sweden’s public transport market, this study explores how this device is not only designed to mitigate inflationary risks but also used to enable corporate profit-making during crisis. I conclude by suggesting the sociology of markets could explore how price indexation organize markets.
(Less)
- author
- Paulsson, Alexander LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-03-16
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- keywords
- inflation, Markets, price index, public transport, Sweden
- in
- Journal of Cultural Economy
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105032856586
- ISSN
- 1753-0350
- DOI
- 10.1080/17530350.2025.2605073
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group on behalf of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
- id
- 0e685b32-3ca3-496f-b89d-55402a70c07e
- date added to LUP
- 2026-03-27 09:49:00
- date last changed
- 2026-03-27 11:41:46
@article{0e685b32-3ca3-496f-b89d-55402a70c07e,
abstract = {{<p>Inflation is not merely a shift in the value of money, it is also involving a redistribution of value. While some groups are severely affected by inflation, others profit from it. So, who bears the costs of inflation: corporations, employees, or consumers? And how is this redistribution taking place, by which devices? This study takes a critical look at a central device used in various markets: the price index. Despite its significance in representing inflation and mitigating inflationary risks in long-term contracts, price indexation has not been extensively explored in previous studies in the sociology of markets. Focusing on the evolution of a price indexation device in Sweden’s public transport market, this study explores how this device is not only designed to mitigate inflationary risks but also used to enable corporate profit-making during crisis. I conclude by suggesting the sociology of markets could explore how price indexation organize markets.</p>}},
author = {{Paulsson, Alexander}},
issn = {{1753-0350}},
keywords = {{inflation; Markets; price index; public transport; Sweden}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{03}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Journal of Cultural Economy}},
title = {{Material consequences : the return of inflation and the value of price indexation}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17530350.2025.2605073}},
doi = {{10.1080/17530350.2025.2605073}},
year = {{2026}},
}