REWORKING THOMPSON,E.P. TIME, WORK-DISCIPLINE AND INDUSTRIAL-CAPITALISM

This paper attempts to lay foundations for a new account of the histor ies of times in England (and beyond). A disjuncture has arisen between much recent writing about time and the most influential general accou nts of time and society in the historic and contemporary West. The lat ter emphasize a social and geographical diffusion of a modem time comp etence, stemming from intensified industrial work-discipline, and cent red on clock time, whereas the former emphasize the multiple and quali tative nature of times. Through a discussion of major theoretical them es (the multiplicity of time-senses and of time-disciplines; the skilf ulness of temporal practices; and symbolic facets of time), we point t o central topics in a reformulated account of western time-senses.