Varieties of Trans-Sequentiality: Diagnostics of Contemporary Capacities for Problem-Work, Developed from Ethnographies of the State

The chapter introduces the concept of trans-sequentiality, a methodological approach inspired by Goffman's situationalism, to analyze how social practices link episodes and processes. It highlights the importance of understanding problem-work through ethnographic studies, focusing on the creation of formative objects that accumulate value across multiple episodes. The text discusses the various modes of trans-sequentiality, including occasional, organised, and programmed modes, and their application in different fields such as legal proceedings, political discourse, and military operations. It also emphasizes the challenges and capacities of these modes in addressing pressing existential problems. The chapter concludes by discussing the potential of trans-sequential analysis (TSA) in diagnosing societal capacities and the need for concerted action in the face of existential crises.