Time is a constitutive yet under-theorised dimension of political philosophy. Most normative theory treats time as a neutral background—a linear sequence within which principles are formulated and applied—rather than as an object of inquiry in its own right. Yet political and technological change increasingly moves at a pace that outstrips the deliberative rhythms liberal democratic institutions were designed for, while many of the decisions taken under this pressure carry long-lasting or irreversible consequences, raising pressing questions of obligation between present and future generations. This temporal pressure also bears on political agency itself: acting well under conditions of acceleration, uncertainty, and long-term consequence arguably requires distinctive capacities of judgement—a kind of practical wisdom or temperament irreducible to either strategic calculation or principled reasoning alone. This panel invites theoretical contributions that take time as an object of political analysis, including but not limited to: the normative implications of social and institutional acceleration; the obligations of present decision-makers toward future people; the relationship between the pace of political action and the temporal scope of its effects; the virtues or capacities required of political agents acting under temporal pressure and uncertainty; and the broader challenge that timing and tempo pose to normative political theory.
Political Theory of Time
Type
Open Panel
Language
English
Chair
Discussants
Description
Onsite Presentation Language
Same as proposal language
Panel ID
PL-4266






