Time-Space distanciation
From Geography
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Contextual understanding
'time-space distanciation' is a term proposed by the British sociologist Anthony Giddens to describe the stretching of social systems across space and time. The term is used in Structuration theory to describe what Giddens calls system integration - interaction with people who are absent in time or space - which has led to 'the expansion of interaction over space and its contraction over time'(Johnston, Gregory, Pratt, Watts, 2000, pp.837-838). It refers to the processes in which the 'where' and 'when' of acting are open to negotiations and not necessarily tied to each other. Or in other words, the reformation of social relations across an indefinite span of time-space. (Werlen, 2009)
The basic idea is not new to human geography, given that time-space compression and time-space convergence address similar concepts. However, Giddens argues that his time-space distanciation has two important implications for social theory, in general.
Implications for social theory according to Giddens
- Giddens rejcts the conventional notions in social theory that assume societies are coherent and bounded systems. He argues that the time-space constitution of social life dislocates most of the 'totalizing' ambitions of conventional social theory.
- He uses the concept of 'time-space distanciation' to trace the historical trajectory of different societies - such as tribal societies characterised by low levels of time-space distanciation, class-divided societies with increasing levels of time-space distanciation increasing, and indistrialized societies with much higher levels(Johnston, Gregory, Pratt, Watts, 2000, pp.837-838).
Criticisms
The most common objection to Giddens's scheme is to its lacking of sufficient historical and geographical specificity. His treatment of space as a barrier to interaction and as a void to be transcended, incorporated and subjugated is seen to be a western-centric master-narrative driven by trying to recover that which eludes, or ethnocentric in approach. Finally Giddens is also criticised for the language of domination in his theorization of time-space distanciation, failing to explore cultural formations involved in historical and contemporary processes of globalization (Johnston, Gregory, Pratt, Watts, 2000, pp.837-838).
References
- Johnston, R.J., Gregory, Derek., Pratt, Geraldine. & Watts, Michael. (2000). The Dictionary of Human Geography. 4th edition. Blackwell. USA.
- Werlen, B. (2009). Structurationist Geography. Elsevier. Germany
Contributors
- page created by Kolar Aparna--KolarAparna 10:28, 10 October 2011 (CEST)
