This book provides a socio-historical analysis of accounting. It is the first major collection to address the multiple arenas in which accounting emerges and operates. As accounting continues to gain in importance in so many spheres of social life, an understanding of the conditions and consequences of such a calculative technology is vital. This book demonstrates the value of analyzing accounting work in relation to developments in accounting, organizational analysis, sociology and political science, and provides a critical perspective on the conditions and consequences of accounting practices.