Alienation and Acceleration - Towards a Critical Theory of Late-Modern Temporality

Aug 7, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

Alienation and Acceleration explores modern late-modern life through the lens of social acceleration, developing a critical theoretical perspective on how changing temporal structures affect experience. The work frames social philosophy and sociology around questions that resonate with people’s lived realities, energize students, and open paths to empirical research. It challenges isolated academic riddle-solving and argues for renewing claims, hypotheses, and theories that can inspire public engagement with society’s future.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages140

Reading Time5 h 53 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Part One: A Theory of Social Acceleration

Part Two: Social Acceleration and the Contemporary Versions of Critical Theory

Part Three: Outlines of a Critical Theory of Social Acceleration

Conclusion

Notes

Literature

h A r t M u t r o s A AlienAt i o n A n d A c celer At io n towArds A criticAl theory of lAte-Modern teMporAl it y Alienation and Acceleration I would like to thank the following persons for their great and invaluable help in completing this project: Jens Beljan, Robert Dietrich, Sigrid Engelhardt, Claus Krogholm, Asger Soerensen and André Stiegler. Hartmut Rosa Alienation and Acceleration Towards a Critical Theory of Late-Modern Temporality Hartmut Rosa polity Originally published in 2010 by NSU Press Copyright © Hartmut Rosa and NSU Press 2010 The right of Hartmut Rosa to be identified as Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. This edition published in 2026 by Polity Press Polity Press Ltd. 65 Bridge Street Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK Polity Press Ltd. 111 River Street Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-7206-9 ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-7207-6(pb) A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Control Number: 2025949864 Typeset in 11 on 14pt Sabon LT Pro by Cheshire Typesetting Ltd, Cuddington, Cheshire Printed and bound in Great Britain by Ashford Colour Press The publisher has used its best endeavors to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this book are correct and active at the time of going to press. However, the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate. Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but ifany have been overlooked the publisher will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition. For further information on Polity, visit our website: [politybooks.com](politybooks.com) This book is based on two lectures given by Hartmut Rosa at the Nordic Summer University in 2007. Contents Introduction 1 Part One A Theory of Social Acceleration 5 Part Two Social Acceleration and the Contemporary Versions of Critical Theory 51 Part Three Outlines of a Critical Theory of Social Acceleration 71 Conclusion 113 Notes 118 Literature 122 Introduction This book is an essay on modern life. It does not aim at complete scientific or philosophical rigor, but at asking the ‘right’ kind of questions for social philosophy and sociology to re-connect to the social experiences people have in late-modern societies. It is based on the conviction that the social sciences need to ask questions which ‘ring’ with people’s lives, which electrify students and which then, in turn, trigger empirical research. Furthermore, I believe that all too often, sociologists, philosophers and political theorists alike are immersed today in debates and research-projects that do not spark any flame even for themselves. We just follow paradigmatic riddle-solving in the sense of Thomas Kuhn, the result being that sociology and social philosophy have not much to offer to the general public. Hence, I feel that we are in danger of running out of claims, hypotheses and theories that are inspiring and challenging for late-modern culture, for students and artists and anyone interested in the fate and future of our societies.

FAQs

What central theme does the book develop?

The book develops social acceleration as a key theme for understanding alienation in late-modern temporality.

What is the book’s stated aim for its questions?

It aims to ask the “right” kind of questions for social philosophy and sociology that resonate with people’s lives and stimulate empirical research.

How does the book critique current academic practice?

It critiques debates and research projects that do not spark intellectual engagement, arguing that sociology and social philosophy can become disconnected from the general public.

Aug 7, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

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