Publication essay collection ‘Entrepreneurship in the open society’

Prof. Dr. Rutger Claassen and Prof. Dr. Judith van Erp, both connected to the IOS Platform Markets and Corporations in Open Societies, will publish their essay collection ‘Entrepreneurship in the open society’ in the month of September. In this book, these and five other authors explore the opportunities, but also the downsides, of the constantly evolving ‘open society’.

The open society as a new reality
Throughout the last decades, international markets have become global and many corporations have developed themselves as important, quasi-political players within this globalized context. These dashing economic developments offer opportunities and prosperity for many, but also have downsides; ranging from environmental damage to tax evasion. In order to get a grip on this new reality, the authors explore the idea of the ‘open society’ in their book.

The open society based on Popper’s ideal, in which people have the freedom to express their opinions, to take the initiative and to contradict each other, is seen as the basis for freedom, prosperity and progress. But has the increased openness of markets brought the open society as a political ideal any closer? The authors cast a critical light on the threats posed by global markets and the increased power of corporations from different perspectives. They also raise the question of whether the ideas of the open society can provide inspiration in combating these threats. Can new forms and interpretations of ‘openness’ be found that counterbalance the excesses of the free market economy?

Open access
The book will soon be available open access through the Utrecht University Repository, and a hardcopy will soon be included in the collection of the University Library. Would you like to (pre-)order the book in Dutch? You can do this via the website of Boombestuurskunde. The official presentation of the book will be at the break-out session of the platform at the IOS Toogdag 2019.