ABSTRACT
This chapter extrapolates from grammars of time in language, that is, tense and aspect, in order to investigate the theoretical prospects of questions concerning temporal emphases in the surveillance literature. This chapter does not provide lessons in tense and aspect, however, because the deployment of tense is towards the goal of critically excavating and then soothing tensions. The past, present and future of theorizing surveillance draw on French and English tenses and temporal orientations in order to point out imbalances in the secondary literature, and suggest new directions for thought.
