Theorizing time-relations in 'acceleration' societies: time practices of high-paid and low-paid workers in Hong Kong

(Late) modern societies seem to be dominated by a discourse on time that revolves around time shortage, time pressure and the notion that people have to act as self-organizing agents and maximize their use of time. Planning and controlling, hurrying up, slowing down and other struggles with time have become central concerns in the organization of daily life. However, as the popular discourse on time revolves around high speed workers who suffer from time shortage, little is known about the sense of time amongst lower skilled workers who often have less flexible working hours and lives. Drawing on (amongst others) neoliberal governance (Foucault) and social reproduction (Pred), in this presentation I will discuss the theoretical framework of my PhD research, exploring the question to what extent (late) modern time practices manifest amongst different groups in society. Following their co-existence as described in World Cities theory (Friedman, Castells), I focus on two groups that are engaged in interdependent time practices: lower-skilled workers who can supply time and high-skilled workers who supposedly need to ‘free up’ time and engage in time-saving practices, such as buying time-saving products and services. The presentation will explore how their time practices may be related in terms of time supply and time demand thereby touching upon questions regarding agency, power and time asset