Foresight as a Policy Tool of Future in the Making

Special issue call for papers from Foresight

Dual Special Issues in the journals Futures and Foresight

Open to submission from December 15th 2018

Final Date for submissions of papers, May 31st 2019

Future in the making, the title of the 2018 FTA conference reflects the idea that human futures are made, are
produced, are designed, are planned and are constrained, and that humanity is largely a product of the
consequences of these actions. The futures of humanity are consequences of our practices.

In the domain of foresight, an important question is to what extent humanity is able to anticipate such
consequences or produce desired futures. To what extent, and in what ways, can foresight, as the construction of
imagined futures, be aligned with the creation and protection of human futures in practice?

Arguably, all practices that produce real futures have a foresightful element, if we take agency as anticipatory.
However, not all forms of foresight produce futures. Foresight as embodied in foresight studies is necessarily
exploratory, informing practice, but such foresight is not a future-creating practice of itself. Foresight that creates
and protects futures has to connect with, be embodied in, futures-creating practices. Anticipatory systems are not
systems if they cannot act on their anticipations. Anticipatory systems fail if their inferences do not reflect the
natural systems they model.

The context of the FTA conference(s) is policy, and historically foresight has been framed in that context by Science,
Technology and Innovation policy. This is understandable as scientific and technological innovation has significant
impact on humanity and social change. However, while this still is the case, the complexity and speed of change in
many socio-economic policy areas beyond STI also necessitates greater levels of anticipatory sense-making and
governance. How can foresight be enhanced as a tool for policy making?

If the work of the FTA conference is to have a positive evolutionary effect on foresight, it needs to guide approaches
to prepare for and improve human futures. How are foresight and its applications evolving in the institutions that
support beneficial human agency; not least in policy? What frameworks can help us shape this evolution? What are
the limitations of current foresight approaches (in terms of processes, methods, tools) and how might these be
expanded? Which good practices should be retained and built upon?

To enhance foresight capabilities, we need to reflect on the changing world. Assumptions about how the future is
made and by whom need to be constantly challenged and refreshed in the light of evidence and trends. The
conference themes reflected this question by explicitly framing foresight in relation to “the new”:

Game changing shifts in the way world transitions function and in people’s perceptions of trust and values
New actors and new channels of influence (i. e, shifts in the patterns of influential people, technologies and power)
Speed, complexity and urgency in policy making, and whether policy making is able to match the dynamics of world change

Papers are invited that contribute knowledge to the evolution of foresight in policy, reflecting how this builds on or
challenges existing approaches and concepts. There are many possible perspectives. Papers may be conceptual, but
should show the clear link to the practices of foresight and make explicit their assumptions about how futures are
made. Papers may also be about practice, but show a clear link to the foresight concepts and to the actual creation of futures. Papers that simply describe a process or the outcome of a particular foresight study are unlikely to be published.

Examples of topics would include (but are not limited to):

The role of foresight in a world of accelerating innovation
The role of AI, machine learning, big data etc. in foresight for policy making
The use of tools and methods stemming from complementary disciplines such as design, behavioural insights, STS in foresight for policy making
Emerging science and technologies, their risks and governance
Stakeholder empowerment in effective policy making
Foresight in social and technical transformation
Evaluations of the practical impact of foresight programmes & policies and what we can learn from them
The role and place of foresight and creativity in education

Special Issue Journal Details (Foresight and Futures)

Authors are invited to submit their papers to one of two journals.

Foresight, the journal of futures studies, strategic thinking and policy

Foresight Journal offers opportunities in the Special Issue to publish papers that elaborate developments in Foresight
methodology and new methods or approaches, especially in the digital era; as well as exploring new trends, drivers
of change and grand challenges, and policy responses to them with illustrative cases in relation to the
aforementioned themes.

Futures, the journal of policy, planning and futures studies

With respect to this Special Issue, the Journal offers opportunities for papers with theoretical, methodological or
conceptual contributions to knowledge in futures Studies, Anticipation and Foresight in the context of policy and
“futures in the making”, or with significant empirical analysis in relation to the themes.

Timetable:

The journals are open for submission to the Special Issue from mid-December 2018.
The final date for submission of new papers is the end of May 2019.
Publication timings of accepted papers are shown in the attached submission details.
The Editors intend to publish both Special Issues in print by the end of October 2019.

Submission Details for Foresight

Foresight

Guest editors:
Fabiana Scapolo ([email protected]) & Anne-Katrin Bock ([email protected]),
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Brussels, Belgium

Foresight® is an international bi-monthly journal concerned with the study of the future. The journal provides a
powerful platform that allows developing new concepts and methodology for foresight researchers and practitioners
as well as policy and strategy makers at all levels of governance to develop sound thinking and action about the
future and emerging issues with a strategic and long-term view. Foresight® is an essential reading for those who
need to keep abreast of research, practice and current thinking about the future, and for those who make the
future.

Deadlines and submission instructions:
The papers will be submitted through the ScholarOne® online peer review system. All papers will be double blind
reviewed, normally by at least two peer reviewers, if accepted for review by the editor.

The online system will open for submissions this Special Issue from December 15th 2018
Deadline for submissions of new papers is May 31st 2019
Expected date of online publication of papers is 3 weeks from final acceptance
Accepted papers will be published online with a DOI number and will be included in the first available volume after
acceptance upon the completion of the whole special issue. This is expected to be no later than October 2019

You may refer to author guidelines before submitting: http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/author_guidelines.htm?id=fs
Submit papers online at: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/fs

“Log in” or “Create An Account” if you haven not registered before, and continue submission following instructions
When prompted, select type of issue: “FTA2018 Futures in the making”
Article type: (normally full length article)
Upload files and complete submission as instructed
In case guidance is needed refer to the editor(s)

Submission Details for Futures

Futures, the journal of policy, planning and futures studies

Guest editors:
Susana Nascimento ([email protected]) & Laurent Bontoux ([email protected]) ,
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Brussels, Belgium

Futures® is an international, refereed, multidisciplinary journal concerned with medium and long-term futures of
cultures and societies, science and technology, economics and politics, environment and the planet, individuals and
humanity.

Covering methods and practices of futures studies, the journal publishes new contributions to knowledge which
examine possible and alternative futures of all human endeavours, as well as humankind's multiple anticipatory
relationships with its futures. Futures® seeks to promote divergent and pluralistic visions and ideas about the future
based on research and scholarly reasoning

Deadlines and submission instructions:
All papers will be double blind reviewed, normally by at least two peer reviewers, if accepted for review by the
editor.

The online system will open for submissions this Special Issue from December 15th 2018
Deadline for submissions of new papers is May 31st 2019
Expected date of online publication of papers is 3 weeks from final acceptance
Papers will be published in print in the first available volume after acceptance.
Once the whole special issue is compete, the papers will be curated in a Virtual Special Issue online. This is expected
to be no later than October 2019

Please read the guidance to authors before submitting: http://www.elsevier.com/journals/futures/0016-3287/guide-for-authors
Submit papers online at: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/futures/

Click on “Submit Your Paper”
Log into the Elsevier online submission system ‘Evise’, registering if you are not already registered.
On the page titled Enter Manuscript Information
Select type of Issue: “FTA2018 Futures in the making”
Article type: (normally full length article)
Please follow the instructions on the pages to upload and submit the paper as well as, details of authors, bullet point highlights and covering letter to the Editor.
Support is available from the system technical team. If further guidance is needed please refer to the editor(s).