The Timespace of Human Activity: On Performance, Society, and History as Indeterminate Teleological EventsThis book shows that a concept of activity timespace drawn from the work of Martin Heidegger provides new insights into the nature of activity, society, and history. Although the book is a work of theory, it has significant implications for the determination and course, not just of activity, but of sociohistorical change as well. Drawing on empirical examples, the book argues (1) that timespace is a key component of the overall space and time of social life, (2) that interwoven timespaces form an essential infrastructure of important social phenomena such as power, coordinated actions, social organizations, and social systems, and (3) that history encompasses constellations of indeterminate temporalspatial events. The latter conception of history in turn yields a propitious account of how the past exists in the present. In addition, because the concept of activity timespace highlights the teleological character of human action, the book contains an extensive defense of the teleological character of such allegedly ateleological forms of activity as emotional and ceremonial actions. Since, finally, the book's ideas about timespace and activity as an indeterminate event derive from an interpretation of Heidegger, the work furthers understanding of the relevance of his thought for social and historical theory. |
Other editions - View all
The Timespace of Human Activity: On Performance, Society, and History as ... Theodore R. Schatzki No preview available - 2012 |
The Timespace of Human Activity: On Performance, Society, and History as ... Theodore R. Schatzki No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
acting activity timespace affairs anchored belief Bergson bundles carry causal ceremony and ritual chapter Chicago claim clearing common compose conception conflict consciousness construed contrast coordinated actions Davidson desire determine dimensional dimensions discussion Donald Davidson duration emotional actions ends entities example experience experiential flow fur trade future G.E.M. Anscombe happening Heidegger Heidegger’s Henri Bergson Henri Lefebvre horse farm tour human activity idea indeterminacy instance interactions interpretation interwoven timespaces involved John Hyman Keeneland landscape Lefebvre lives Martin Heidegger Massey material arrangements moreover multiple Native American Nemko Nigel Thrift normative notion objective space occur one’s orchestrated Oxford particular past people’s perform person phenomenon Philosophical place-path places and paths practical intelligibility practice memory practice organization present processes pursue reason reflects relations rhythms rules sake sense shared social phenomena sort space-time Steven Lukes structure taskscape teleological temporal and spatial temporalspatial event theorists Theory things tion tradition trans understandings unfolding Wittgenstein