Timescapes of Modernity: Environment and Invisible Hazards

Description

Timescapes of Modernity focuses on time to facilitate a deeper understanding of the interactions between environmental, economic, political and socio-cultural concerns. Thinking of the environment as a timescape allows us to see the hazards of the industrial way of life in a new light; the invisible becomes tangible. We begin to recognise processes that work below the surface until they materialise as symptoms - sometime, somewhere. In Timescapes Barbara Adam argues that environmental hazards are inescapably tied to the successes of the industrial way of life: global markets and economic growth; large-scale production of food; the speed of transport and communication; the 24 hour society and even democratic politics. Introducing the notion of timescapes she emphasises the complexity of time and brings to the forefront of socio-environmental concerns the rhythms, timings, changes and contingencies that permeate the story of industrial success and excess. With this unique 'timescape' perspective the author dislodges taken-for-granted assumptions about environmental change, enables reformulation of environmental problems and their cures and provides the potential for innovative new strategies to deal with some of the most severe environmental hazards of our time.