Waiting is a Weapon: How Administrative Time Creates a Hidden Caste
We often think of time as neutral. A waiting list is just a list; a deadline is just a standard; business hours are just a convention. But in my research as a Doctor of Public Administration student, I’ve come to a different conclusion: Administrative time is rarely neutral—it is often a weapon. I recently read Judith Dangerfield’s profound analysis of the 14th Amendment, 'The Fourteenth Amendment: Our Constitutional Promise Against Caste.' She argues that the Constitution imposes an affirmative duty on the government to dismantle systems that rank people as superior or inferior. This framework immediately struck a chord with my current research on a concept I call administrative chrononormativity. What is administrative chrononormativity? Sociologist Elizabeth Freeman describes chrononormativity as the way society uses time to organize bodies for maximum productivity. There is a correct timeline we are all expected to follow: School. Marriage. Mortgage. Kids....