Professor Barbara Adam
Emerita Professor
- Media commentator
Biography
My entire academic career has been developed at Cardiff University. As a mature student (1980-1983) and PhD (1983-1987) with two children I was not free to make career moves to other universities. From 1988 onwards I have been employed as an academic by Cardiff University and since 1999 I have held a Personal Chair in sociology at the University's School of Social Sciences.
My work has been translated into 7 languages (incl. Japanese, German and Italian) and I have been invited to teach and present my work across the world.
Since 2011 I am Emerita Professor at Cardiff University.
Honours and awards
1990, Philip Abrams Memorial Prizeawarded for monograph Time and Social Theory by the British Sociological Association for `Best First Book'
1995, J T Fraser Prizeawarded for monograph Timewatch. The Social Analysis of Time by the International Society for the Study of Time for `A Book of Excellence in Time Studies'
2007 DScEcon, Cardiff University
2009 Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, FAcSS
2010 Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, FLSW
Fellowships
1999 - 2000 Max Weber Professor, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
2009 Professorial Fellow – University Cagliari, Sardinia
2010 Distinguished Professorial Fellow – IAS Durham University
2011 Schumacher Distinguished Fellow – Schumacher Institute, Bristol University
2018-19 Senior Fellow – Institute of Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam, Germany
2019- Affiliate Scholar – Institute of Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam, Germany
Publications
2022
- Adam, B. 2022. Thirty years of Time & Society: The challenges for time studies revisited. Time & Society 31(1), pp. 6-9. (10.1177/0961463X211073004)
2019
- Adam, B. and Kemp, S. 2019. Time matters: Faces, externalized knowledge and transcendence. In: Souvatzi, S., Baysal, A. and Baysal, E. L. eds. Time and History in Prehistory. London and New York: Routledge, pp. 210-229.
2018
- Adam, B. 2018. Four meditations on time and future relations. Time & Society 27(3), pp. 384-388. (10.1177/0961463X18789222)
- Adam, B. 2018. Timing. In: Lury, C. et al. eds. Routledge Handbook of Interdisciplinary Research Methods. Routledge, pp. 132.
2014
- Adam, B. E. et al. 2014. Promise through the lens of time. Presented at: Futures in Question, Goldsmiths, University of London, 11-12 September 2014.
- Adam, B. E. 2014. Future matters for ageing research. Presented at: Imagining the Future Workshop, London, England, 11 February 2010 Presented at Bornaj, J. and Jones, R. L. eds.Imagining Futures : Methodological Issues for Research into Ageing. The Representation of Older People in Ageing Research Series Vol. 13. Milton Keynes: Open University/CPA pp. 11-25.
2013
- Adam, B. E. 2013. Clock time: tyrannies and alternatives. In: Coote, A. and Franklin, J. eds. Time On Our Side: Why We All Need a Shorter Working Week. London: New Economics Foundation, pp. 31-41.
2011
- Adam, B. E. 2011. Wendell Bell and the sociology of the future: challenges past, present and future. Futures 43(6), pp. 590-595. (10.1016/j.futures.2011.04.007)
- Adam, B. E. and Groves, C. R. 2011. Futures tended: care and future-oriented responsibility. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society 31(1), pp. 17-27. (10.1177/0270467610391237)
2010
- Adam, B. E. 2010. Zeitvielfalt in der Evolution aus gesellschaftstheoretischer Sicht. Presented at: Akademievorlesung: Zeit - Schlüsselvariable der Evolution, Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Berlin, Germany, 4 February 2010.
- Adam, B. E. 2010. History of the future: Paradoxes and challenges. Rethinking History 14(3), pp. 361-378. (10.1080/13642529.2010.482790)
- Adam, B. E. 2010. Future Matters: Challenge for social theory and social inquiry. Cultura e comunicazione 1, pp. 47-55.
2009
- Adam, B. E. 2009. Futures in the making: sociological practice and challenge. In: Jeffries, V. ed. Handbook of public sociology. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, pp. 429-474.
- Adam, B. E. 2009. Cultural future matters: an exploration in the spirit of Max Weber's methodological writings. Time & Society 18(1), pp. 7-25. (10.1177/0961463X08099941)
- Adam, B. E. 2009. Zeit ist Geld: Geschwindigkeit aus zeitökonomischer und zeitökologischer Sicht. Presented at: Jenseits der Beschleunigung - Zeitpolitische Perspektiven postfossiler Mobilität, Evangelische Akademie, Tutzing, Germany, 30 April - 2 May 2009.
2008
- Adam, B. E. 2008. Future matters: futures known, created and minded. Twenty-First Century Society 3(2), pp. 111-116. (10.1080/17450140802095102)
- Adam, B. E. 2008. The timescapes challenge: engagement with the invisible temporal. In: Adam, B. E. et al. eds. Researching Lives Through Time: Time, Generation and Life Stories. Timescapes Working Paper Series Vol. 1. Leeds: University of Leeds, pp. 7-12.
2007
- Adam, B. E. and Groves, C. R. 2007. Future matters: action, knowledge, ethics. The Study of Time / Supplements Vol. 3. Leiden: Brill.
- Adam, B. E. 2007. Time control (kontrolle der zeit). In: Heitkötter, M. and Schneider, M. eds. Zeitpolitisches Glossar: Grundbegriffe, Felder, Instrumente, Strategien. Tutzinger Materialien Vol. 90. Tutzing: Evangelische Akademie, pp. 66-68.
- Adam, B. E. 2007. Foreword. In: Hassan, R. and Purser, R. E. eds. 24/7: Time and Temporality in the Network Society. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, pp. ix-xi.
- Adam, B. E. 2007. Mobilität / Verkehr. In: Heitkötter, M. and Schneider, M. eds. Zeitpolitisches Glossar: Grundbegriffe, Felder, Instrumente, Strategien. Tutzinger Materialien Vol. 90. Tutzing: Evangelische Akademie, pp. 51-53.
- Adam, B. E. 2007. The global future. In: Robertson, R. and Scholte, J. A. eds. Encyclopedia of Globalization., Vol. 2. London: Routledge, pp. 304-312.
2004
- Adam, B. 2004. A social theory exploration of responsibility for long term futures. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Adam, B. 2004. Of metaphors, morals and memories: reflections on socio-environmental action from a temporal perspective. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Adam, B. 2004. Memory of Futures. KronoScope 4(2) (10.1163/1568524042801392)
- Adam, B. E. 2004. Time. Polity Key Concepts Series. Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Harris, P., Lewis, J. T. and Adam, B. E. 2004. Time, sustainable transport and the politics of speed. World Transport Policy and Practice 10(2), pp. 5-11.
2003
- Adam, B. E. 2003. When Time is Money: Contested Rationalities of Time in the Theory and Practice of Work. Theoria 102, pp. 94-125.
2002
- Whipp, R., Adam, B. and Sabelis, I. eds. 2002. Making time: Time and management in modern organizations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Adam, B. E. 2002. The gendered time politics of globalisation: Of shadowlands and elusive justice. Feminist Review 70(1), pp. 3-29. (10.1057/palgrave/fr/9400001)
2001
- Adam, B. 2001. When time is money: Contested rationalities of time and challenges to the theory and practice of work.. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
2000
- Adam, B., Beck, U. and Van Loon, J. eds. 2000. The risk society and beyond.. London: Sage. (10.4135/9781446219539)
- Adam, B. 2000. The temporal gaze: the challenge for social theory in the context of GM food. The British Journal of Sociology 51(1), pp. 125-142. (10.1111/j.1468-4446.2000.00125.x)
- Adam, B. E., Allan, S. and Carter, C. eds. 2000. Environmental risks and the media. London: Routledge.
1998
- Adam, B., Geissler, K. A. and Held, M. eds. 1998. Die Nonstop-Gesellschaft und ihr Preis. Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag.
- Adam, B. E. 1998. Timescapes of modernity: the environment and invisible hazards. London: Routledge.
1995
- Adam, B. and Allan, S. eds. 1995. Theorising culture: An interdisciplinary critique after postmodernism. London: Routledge. (10.4324/9780203137017)
- Adam, B. E. 1995. Timewatch: social analysis of time. Cambridge: Polity Press.
1994
- Adam, B. E. 1994. Time and social theory. Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Time Theory and Practice across social and socio-environmental domains
- Futures Theory and Practice across social domains past and present
- Social theory and socio-environmental theory
My primary expertise is in the area of social and socio-environmental time. I have developed this perspective over the last three decades during which I have worked the time dimension into the following areas of conceptual and empirical social science research: culture, education, environment, environmental economics, food, globalisation, gender, health, international relations, management, media, risk, technological innovation, transport and work. As such, this intellectual project, which spans my academic career, brought time to the center of social science analysis.
As an integral part of this research commitment I edited the international, trans-disciplinary Sage journal Time & Society, which I founded in 1992 and handed over to new editors towards the end of 1998.
Since 2003 I have expanded the time focus to 'the future' under the ESRC's Professorial Fellowship Scheme 'In Pursuit of the Future'. This work is theoretically challenging and has significant implications for policy and entrepreneurial practice. The End-of-Award Report of this project has been rewarded an 'outstanding' grade. This research is ongoing and encompasses work on risk and uncertainty. Extensive networks of international collaborators have been built up across the full breadth of this future and risk domain. This research focus led me to collaborate with artists, which I have fruitfully continued to this day.
In the Future Matters Collective this transdisciplinarity is put into practice. At our regular meetings academics from a wide range of disciplines, artists and policy practitioners explore themes through their own and each other’s knowledge practices. See www.futurematterscollective.com
The relevance of this unique socio-environmental theory has transcended disciplines to such an extent that it is taught not just in the Social and Environmental Sciences but also across the Arts and the Humanities.
Funded Research
1994-6 ESRC Fellowship - Global Environmental Change Initiative (L32027312593) Mapping the Environment: Temporal and Spatial Problems for the Social Sciences. £ 64,380.
1996-9 EEC-funded Project – 4th Framework (ST96 AM601) Policy Assessment of Trans-European Networks & Common Transport Policy TENASSES (11 partners, total budget ECU 1.2 Million) ECU 28,000 for time consultancy.
1999 ESRC Pilot Project Bridging Time Theory and Practice: Exploring Time Politics for the Food System (R000222946 - 07-10/99) £ 21,730.
2001-3 EU 5th Framework Foresight for Transport (GMA2/2000/32057, 5 partners, total budget EU 1.4 Million) EU 121,200 for Cardiff time expertise.
2003-7 ESRC Professorial Fellowship (RES-051-27-0049), In Pursuit of the Future, £ 350,000 plus additional 3-year PhD studentship.