Images of the future and futures studies

Images of the future and futures studies

How can images of the future be collected and interpreted in a scientifically sound manner?

This is one of the four guiding questions of the publication. In five chapters, images of the future are examined based on their scientific enquiry, practical use and visualisation.

Link to the book (German only)

5 chapters

Including 4 different academic perspectives on images of the future and 1 glimpse into their practical implications in the context of Futures Probes.
5 co-authors

The book was a collaborative effort by Dr. Reinhold Popp (co-author and editor) and each of the Futures Probes co-founders.
156 pages

A total of 156 pages offer insights into topics ranging from nostalgia and ‘retrotopias’, to futures literacy and visual science communication.
1 book release

The book was officially launched in April 2022, during a release event hosted by Institut Futur in Berlin and presented by all of the co-authors.

Nobody knows what the future will be like, but we all have ideas of what it might be like. Those are what we call 'images of the future': different imaginations of a future built from our individual perspectives, worldviews, hopes and desires. In this publication, we dive into how these images are formed, how they can be visualised and how they can be put to use.

Book Chapters

Researching images of the future

The scientific collection and interpretation of opinions about tomorrow by Dr. Reinhold Popp

Images of the future and nostalgia

Interrelations and potentials from the perspective of critical futures studies by Lilith Boettcher

Acquisition of future competencies

Futures literacy, futures thinking and education for sustainable development by Gina Strecker

Future images

Science-based visualisations as a tool for participatory science communication by Katrina Günther

Futures Probes

Images of the future and future shaping informed by science by Futures Probes

Other projects

Viajando al [futuro]

Envisioning desirable futures of tourism in Spain with 50+ tourism stakeholders in the regions of the Canary Islands, Donostia-San Sebastián and the Laciana Valley.

Futures Literacy For Civil Society

A learning journey in three modules in which 12 civil society organisations anticipated different futures and strengthened their “imagination muscle”.

Futures Snacks

A collection of quick and dirty method ‘snacks’, providing practical insights into futures thinking for the working context in digital interactive 1-hour sessions.

Futures Probes of [...]

A collection of desirable futures on specific topics, sampled via a digital futures questionnaire probing into the fears and desires of different people from around the globe.

Futures of education

Imagining the futures of a school in a co-creative utopia workshop with over 100 teachers, students and parents.

Neugefragt

A speculative design project that extrapolates emerging technologies into (im)possible futures and tells their stories via comics, texts, audios and lecture performances.

Imagining future tourism jobs

A series of futuring workshops for young people on sustainable tourism: Together, students explored different futures of tourism and the jobs they might require.

Co-creative futures of CAU campus for Community Wealth Building

A co-creative course for master students of Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel to explore possible future implementations of Community Wealth Building principles on their campus.

Futures of Reproduction Lab

A futures literacy workshop to reveal deeply anchored assumptions, reframe futures and discuss emerging questions – on the topic of reproduction.

Ey, oldie!

An interactive exhibition showcasing facts, perspectives and ideas on the futures of ageing. Visitors were encouraged to think about their own future and reflect upon their assumptions.

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