Linear and Cyclic Conceptions of Time in Geography: Towards a Relational Spatial–Temporal Synthesis

Abstract

Time is indispensable to geographical explanation, yet its treatment remains divided between measurable succession, recurrent rhythms and situated experiences of duration. This critical narrative review examines linear and cyclic conceptions of time as explanatory resources rather than mutually exclusive cultural worldviews. It draws on foundational geographical theory, time-geographic and mobility research, studies of urban rhythms, Indigenous and place-based environmental knowledge, and empirical work on ecological seasonality. Literature was identified through targeted scholarly discovery, citation tracing and verification of accessible journal and repository records, with the search period ending on 9 August 2026. Five arguments emerge. First, linear chronology is necessary for identifying sequence, accumulation, irreversibility and institutional deadlines, but it becomes misleading when converted into a universal narrative of progress. Secondly, cyclic time captures recurrent ecological and social coordination without implying the exact return of past conditions. Thirdly, time geography formalises the spatial constraints of activity effectively, whereas rhythmanalysis and relational approaches reveal embodied experience and unequal power over temporal arrangements. Fourthly, environmental changes expose the instability of apparently regular seasons and the consequences of replacing place-based indicators with fixed calendar dates. Finally, conflicts between official schedules, mobility trajectories and locally situated rhythms generate material inequalities in care, labour, migration and resource governance. The review proposes a layered spatial–temporal approach that distinguishes chronological ordering, rhythmic recurrence, embodied duration, institutional authority and historical inheritance, while examining the interactions among them. Its value is conceptual and methodological rather than a claim of empirically validated universal theory. Research priorities include longitudinal mixed-method designs, participatory seasonal calendars, ethically governed mobility datasets and explicit assessment of temporal justice. Geographical analysis is strongest when linear and cyclic temporalities are treated as interacting, situated and politically contested processes.