The Time of the Tribes: The Decline of Individualism in Mass Society (French: Le Temps des tribus : le déclin de l'individualisme dans les sociétés de masse) is a 1988 book by the French sociologist Michel Maffesoli. It argues that mass society, rather than creating a mass of individuals, has resulted in a type of tribalised society. The book and its subject, labelled neo-tribes, have had impact in sociology and other fields.