Learning by Research

His Thesis Title: Governmental Reasons of Time. An historical anthropology of temporalizations from the 14th century to nowadays

Scientific Context and Objectives

The origin of Côme’s research is anchored in the analysis of the 1891 law defining legal time in France as the mean time of Paris. This historical turning point marks the end of an era where clocks were set to local time, creating significant discrepancies between cities. Côme’s thesis explores the social, scientific, and political logics that presided over this unification. It examines the transition from localized time toward a national, and subsequently international, time system, perceived as an essential instrument of Republican integration and State modernization.

Methodology and Theoretical Framework

To grasp this complexity, the work relies on an interdisciplinary approach blending socio-history and ethnography. Inspired by Philippe Descola’s approach to nature, Côme’s thesis proposes an historicization of the Western relationship with time, which is often mistakenly considered universal. His analysis is based on the exploitation of rich archival sources, particularly those from the Paris Observatory and the Bureau des Longitudes, making it possible to retrace the debates among scholars and political elites regarding time standardization and related reforms such as the adoption of Greenwich Mean Time or Daylight Saving Time.

Modes of Temporalization and Social Practices

Côme’s study deconstructs the modern category of "time" by revealing three major sets of distinct social practices:

• Rhythm: Analysis of the organization of collective activities, for example through the use of bells marking the start or end of a task.
• Measurement: Study of the quantification of time, for example the timing of workers' gestures within the production system.
• Synchronization: Examination of the mechanisms for setting appointments and coordinating social interactions on a large scale.

Conclusion and Historical Perspectives

Ultimately, Côme’s research demonstrates that time, far from being an immutable framework, is a conventional construction and a matter of power. By restoring the diversity of modes of temporalization, his work offers new insight into how Western societies have transformed time into an object of public policy, essential to the coordination of the modern world.

Key words: temporalizations, standardization of time, clocks, time policies