The digital packaging of electronic money

Abstract

In this paper I examine how money is digitally packaged (or not packaged) and its influence on the meaning of the gift and remittance. Remittances received by developing nations in 2005 were an estimated $US167 billion. These, together with gifts for ceremonial occasions demonstrate the importance of money as a medium of personal relationships. Gifts in particular have been wrapped in distinctive ways to express their ritual meanings. This wrapping of gifts has not easily translated to digital media. In this paper I draw on personal experience and participant observation in India, Malaysia and Australia. This is supplemented by literature, and content analysis of websites dealing with gifts and remittances. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.