Moral Immunity: Debt as a Moral Shield

In this episode, Xiang Biao, co-director of the Max Planck
Institute for Social Anthropology, speaks with Ferda Nur Demirci
about her research on the indebtedness of miners in Soma, Turkey.
Her findings reveal something that may seem contradictory to
some: in a world of exploitation, debt is not merely a burden;
rather, it can become a moral shield.


Ferda's research doesn't just tell a story about poverty or
financial hardship. It explores how people, in the face of
systemic precariousness, transform debt into self-discipline,
solidarity, and even dignity.