The Political Value of Time : Citizenship, Duration, and Democratic Justice

A unique analysis of how and why time has acquired critical importance to the architecture of democracy. By examining political calendars, election scheduling, immigration probationary requirements, and prison sentences, the author explains why we use particular moments and durations of time to extend or retract rights.

Waiting periods and deadlines are so ubiquitous that we often take them for granted. Yet they form a critical part of any democratic architecture. When a precise moment or amount of time is given political importance, we ought to understand why this is so. The Political Value of Time explores the idea of time within democratic theory and practice. Elizabeth F. Cohen demonstrates how political procedures use quantities of time to confer and deny citizenship rights. Using specific dates and deadlines, states carve boundaries around a citizenry. As time is assigned a form of political value it comes to be used to transact over rights. Cohen concludes with a normative analysis of the ways in which the devaluation of some people''s political time constitutes a widely overlooked form of injustice. This book shows readers how and why they need to think about time if they want to understand politics.