Temporalities of Science: Constructing Past, Present, and Future of Knowledge 1945-1980

This project explores perceptions of the past, present and future of scientific knowledge – or “temporalities of science” – between 1945 and 1980.

The era saw increased collaboration between science and the state in Western countries, and the project investigates three institutional innovations crucial to research governance: scientometrics, science documentation, and science policies.

The aim is firstly to examine the notions of time which these innovations produced, e.g ideas about history and progress or future limits and rampant growth.

Secondly, the aim is to explore how perceptions of past, present and future were institutionalized in science policies for measuring and managing research. With a focus on Sweden and the US, the project aims to uncover broader trends in the Western world. The sources include books, journals, and governmental investigations (SOU).

The method is discourse analysis, and it uses the concept "time-binding techniques" to show how actors portrayed timescales through words and images. The project period is 2025-2028.

It is designed in three case studies, one for each innovation Ultimately, it seeks to historicize complex notions of history, present and future in the 2020s.

It aligns with growing research on historical and cultural temporalities, and offers insights into how perceptions of time shaped scientific knowledge and policies in the 20th century.