This considers the central questions of the coordination of social, economic and political life. Traditionally, the organization of social life has been studied in comparative isolation, from specific disciplinary bases. "Markets, Hierarchies and Networks" draws on a cross-disciplinary range of material to offer an introduction to understanding how societies, politics, and economies work. It examines three quite different models of social coordination: markets, hierarchies, and networks. Drawing on a wide range of sources, it illustrates the characteristics of each of these models - how they work, what are their strengths, and what are their likely limitations. The three are placed in a comparative framework that offers a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms of coordination at work in different social contexts. Bringing together for the first time a series of key texts in the understanding of social coordination, this book should be of interest to students of interdisciplinary social science, and students of sociology, economics, geography, politics, and related social sciences.