Social embedding, artisanal markets and cultural fields: quality, value and marketing in the cases of new wave custom motorcycles and boutique guitar pedals

Abstract

Taking two case studies of artisanal production (new wave custom motorcycles and boutique guitar pedals), this chapter argues for the value of adopting a social embedding perspective for understanding artisanal markets. Specifically, it claims that within such markets, understood as 'markets of uncertainty', quality and value are effectively mediated through the embedding of these markets in cultural fields (cultural fields-as-markets), such that producers and consumers are able to inter-subjectively deliberate on the inherently uncertain nature of quality and value within a context of potentially homologous relationships. As such, embedding works to coordinate artisanal markets. The embedding of producers within artisanal markets, and the embedding of such markets within cultural fields, fulfils multiple important functions for producers, intermediaries and consumers. This chapter considers the nature and importance of these functions, with a particular regard for how embedding facilitates innovation, cooperation and marketing within artisanal markets.