Rhythm, Tempo, and Historical Time: Experiencing Temporality in the Neoliberal Age

Evidential constraints on archaeological interpretation exemplify the methodological rigor required to explore the meanings of historic sites and artifacts for today’s residents. Various temporalities, although available to all societies, are filtered through differing cultural assumptions and unequal access to resources. In particular, official national ideologies – as the author’s work on artisanal production and historic conservation in Greece, Italy, and Thailand suggests – may occlude the relevant symbolic resources. Moreover, despite the capacity of technology to expand agency, the neoliberal ideology, by commoditizing history, limits the choices of the politically weak.