Time Policy for Transformation: Approaches, Strategies, Initiatives

Abstract

As the historical preoccupation with time shows, the vision of a society with sufficient time (prosperity) is by no means a singular phenomenon of Western postindustrial societies, but instead reappeared—from Thomas More to the leisure society of the postwar period—again and again in a new guise, and was demanded and promoted by a range of different agents. Time has been regulated at all times, structured and “distributed”, albeit by agents of varying legitimacy. Today, the area of time policy still exists more as an aspiration than as a reality. Yet, in the light of current problems and development needs, time policy is seen as “a policy field of the future”. Its perspective is the use of time and the (power over) time resources and time structures within a society; time policy is therefore always a cross-cutting policy in sectoral policies, determined by social, environmental and economic interests. For the transformation to a more sustainable society and economy, it undoubtedly offers some good starting points. In practice, however, the opportunities opened up by a time policy perspective in transformation and sustainability policy are still little used. The few influential debates have been outlined below.