This paper indicates how certain views toward time and toward the nature of change lead to a form of "chronopolitics," a term descriptive of the relation of time-perspectives to political decision-making. The present as a "time of transition" can be seen as a time during which epoch-making decisions which will lead a society to one of several alternate futures can be made. If the crucial power in transition periods is the power to decide which of the alternate futures to seek, the crucial skill in coping with social trends will be social engineering. But if the significant decisions have already been made, as suggested by the term social trend, the problems of politics and the skills demanded will be quite different.
Social Forces is a journal of social research highlighting sociological inquiry but also exploring realms shared with social psychology, anthropology, political science, history, and economics. The journal's intended academic readers include sociologists, social psychologists, criminologists, economists, political scientists, anthropologists, and students of urban studies, race/ethnic relations, and religious studies.
Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. OUP is the world's largest university press with the widest global presence. It currently publishes more than 6,000 new publications a year, has offices in around fifty countries, and employs more than 5,500 people worldwide. It has become familiar to millions through a diverse publishing program that includes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, school and college textbooks, business books, dictionaries and reference books, and academic journals.
This item is part of JSTOR collection
For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions
Social Forces
Request Permissions
