Conclusion: Bringing temporality into policy analysis

Lee Gregory

Chapter 8 in Time, Welfare and Society, 2026, pp 145-161 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Chapter 8 synthesises the book's core arguments to propose a temporally oriented vision for welfare futures. It argues that contemporary welfare systems are constrained by the dominance of clock time, productivist values, and short‑term political cycles, leaving them ill‑equipped to address deepening inequalities, ecological limits, and the long‑term consequences of the polycrisis. Drawing together insights on need, equality, citizenship, and policy processes, the chapter proposes a welfare model grounded in temporal plurality, care, deliberation, and intergenerational responsibility. It outlines how temporal impact assessment (TIA), shorter working‑time regimes, time sovereignty, and recognition of diverse lived temporalities could guide welfare transformation. Emphasising finitude and generative futures, the chapter concludes that welfare reform must expand beyond economic efficiency to secure time for flourishing – collectively, sustainably, and across generations.

Keywords: Welfare futures; Temporality; Intergenerational ethics; Time sovereignty; Sustainable welfare; Temporal governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781800370807
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