Time and community: A scoping study

Abstract

This paper reports on the results of a commissioned scoping study that explored the extent of research available on time and community. Using a range of techniques designed to provide a rapid overview of this relatively indistinct research area, 885 studies were identified for inclusion in the study. Importantly, only 85 of these were identified as ‘highly relevant’ to the study’s focus. An analysis of these articles revealed 11 core themes in work on time and community. Two cross-cutting themes that arose from the full range of included studies were then selected for further analysis. These were the role of time in inclusion and exclusion and ‘critical temporalities’, that is, work that develops critical temporal responses as part of addressing social inequalities. This broader analysis suggested three overarching concerns shared by both cross-cutting themes: past, present and future; continuity and discontinuity; and multiple rhythms of time use. After exploring how these concerns are addressed in the literature, the paper concludes with an outline of the gaps in research on time and community, as well as recommendations for further research.