The Metric Society: On the Quantification of the Social

Introduction 11 The Measurement of Social Value 10What does quantification mean? 12The calculative practices of the market 15The state as data manager 17Engines of quantification: digitalization and economization 212 Status Competition and the Power of Numbers 26Dispositives of comparison 28Commensurability and incommensurability 31New horizons of comparison 33Registers of comparison and investive status work 353 Hierarchization: Rankings and Ratings 40Visibilization and the creation of difference 40On your marks! 43University rankings 47Here today, gone tomorrow: the market power of rating agencies 534 Classification: Scoring and Screening 60Credit scoring 63Quantified health status 67Mobility value 71'Boost your score' - academic status markers 74Social worth investigations 785 The Evaluation Cult: Stars and Points 81Satisfaction surveys 82Evaluation portals as selectors 84Peer-to-peer ratings 87Professions in the evaluative spotlight 89Like-based reputations on social media 936 The Quantified Self: Charts and Graphs 99Health, exercise and mood 101The collective body 104Motivation techniques 1067 The Power of Nomination 111The nomination power of the state 112Performance measurement and the framing of competition 115The nomination power of experts 119Algorithmic authority 123Critique of nomination power 1258 Risks and Side-Effects 129Reactive measurements 129Loss of professional control 133Loss of time and energy 135Monoculture versus diversity 1379 Transparency and Discipline 141Normative and political pressure 144The power of feedback 147Technological surveillance in the workplace 149The new tariff systems 151The interdependence of self- and external surveillance 153The regime of averages, benchmarks and body images 15510 The Inequality Regime of Quantification 158Establishment of worth 160Reputation management 162Collectives of non-equals 166From class conflict to individual competition 168Inescapability and status fluidity 170Self-reinforcing effects 174Bibliography 177Index 196