ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the complex relationships between money and interculturality through the lens of econosophy – an interdisciplinary field integrating, e.g., critical intercultural perspectives, philosophy and sociology. The chapter begins with a narrative illustrating how money can both facilitate and complicate intercultural interactions. It then delves into the concept of Intercultural Econosophy, accentutating the need for ethical responsibility and the deconstruction of common myths about money. This chapter reviews ancient and medieval thinkers from various parts of the world who critiqued the corrupting influence of money and emphasised, e.g., communal well-being over individual wealth. The author also investigates contemporary theories of capitalism, such as Nancy Fraser’s concept of cannibal capitalism and Shoshana Zuboff’s surveillance capitalism, which highlight the exploitative and destructive nature of today’s economic systems. These insights underscore the importance of understanding money’s role in shaping intercultural dynamics, power hierarchies and ethical dilemmas. This chapter concludes by suggesting that intercultural interactions are deeply influenced by money and that problematising inequalities and socio-economic justice realistically matters for interculturality.
