Toward a Comparative Sociology of Valuation and Evaluation

Abstract

This paper discusses North-American and European research from the sociology of valuation and evaluation (SVE), a research topic that has attracted considerable attention in recent years. The goal is to bring various bodies of work into conversation with one another to stimulate more cumulative theory building. This is accomplished by focusing on 1) sub-processes such as categorization and legitimation; 2) the conditions that sustain heterarchies; and 3) valuation and evaluative practices. The paper reviews these literatures and provides directions for a future research agenda.