“I’m Not Looking for a Singular Conception of Time”: An Interview with Sarah Sharma

Abstract

Maren Hartmann and Karin Deckner had the opportunity to discuss with award winning Sarah Sharma the politics of time. For Sharma, the interconnection of time and media is the core of media studies itself: “That’s what media studies is; a specific question about the rhythm of relations that particular technologies instigate or set off.” This perspective enables us, in her view, to talk in an elaborate way about labour, or gender or race. By thinking “beyond the clock”, we can understand the politics of time and power and further how time relates to power. In the discussion they debate about several of these connections. These include various theories that Sharma has made strong, current questions about staying or going, female perspectives on time and power politics in general. Sharma also tells how her interests in media and time research have changed and where she currently stands with her research.