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 temporalities which these innovations produced, e.g ideas about history and progress or future limits and rampant growth.

Secondly, the aim is to explore how notions about past epochs, historical trajectories or the nature of the present affected science policy infrastructure for measuring and managing research. With a focus on Sweden and the US, the project aims to uncover broader trends in the Western world.

Drawing on research on historical time and history of knowledge, it employs discourse analysis, examining influential literature, journals, and government investigations.

Methodologically, the project employs the concept “time-binding techniques” to understand how actors portrayed timescales through words and images. 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.