Colonial Time

"Colonial Time" explores how European colonization fundamentally reshaped societies by imposing Western timekeeping systems. This imposition wasn't a neutral act but a deliberate strategy known as "temporal colonialism," used to synchronize colonized populations, control labor, and extract resources. The book reveals how standardizing time zones and adopting the Gregorian calendar disrupted traditional social structures, agricultural practices, and spiritual beliefs.

For example, traditional agricultural cycles, deeply integrated with indigenous calendars, were disrupted by the imposition of the Western work week, impacting food production and cultural practices.

The book progresses by first highlighting the diversity of indigenous calendars and their connection to local environments.
It then examines the mechanisms of Western time imposition through missionaries, administrators, and economic actors, using case studies from Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Finally, it analyzes the long-term consequences, like the erosion of indigenous knowledge, and explores contemporary efforts to reclaim indigenous timekeeping.

This approach offers a nuanced understanding of the interplay between colonial power and indigenous resilience, making the book valuable for anyone interested in the cultural and social impacts of colonialism and globalization.