The State of Play in the Futures Field (SoPiFF)

SoPiFF_Fsight_11_05_2009_smallerThis section provides access to some of the material generated during this project and published in Foresight Vol. 11 No. 5, 2009. It provided a rare ‘snapshot’ of the field that gave rise to a number of significant issues and questions. The study arguably had great depth and breadth than previous work in that it used a well qualified international team of researchers and fully utilised integral methods.

Editorial introduction and three papers from the special issue

The notion that the state of play in the futures field (SoPiFF) was a topic worth considering emerged from a conversation with Sesh Velamoor, Director of the Seattle-based Foundation for the Future (FFF), at a 2006 conference at Tamkang University in Taiwan. The Foundation itself was established by philanthropist Walter Kistler and charged to support disciplined work regarding prospects for humanity’s long-term future. It was Kistler who observed that “humanity is like a vehicle going down a steep slope without a steering wheel, without brakes, and without a driver” (Kistler, 2006). (Read more…)

The state of play in the futures field: a metascanning overview (Richard Slaughter). (To open click here)

Understanding and resolving the global problematique (Richard Slaughter & Chris Riedy). (To open click here)

The influence of futures work on public policy and sustainability (Chris Riedy) (To open click here)