What is Futures Thinking?

  • What will the future be like?

  • Who decides what the future will be?

  • Is there a better way to operate than continually saying “oh yeah...we probably should have seen that coming?”

  • How will issues like justice, equity and human well-being evolve in the future?

  • Who are the people who are explicitly working on futures issues?

  • How can organizations and communities be more “future ready?”


These are the kinds of questions that are explored with “futures thinking.” Futures thinking is a precursor to and necessary ingredient in what happens in futures studies and foresight practice.

Futures studies is a relatively new social science that uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to develop more sophisticated ways of anticipating possibilities for how the future may unfold.

There is a fascinating history of theory, methods, research and application of futures ideas throughout the world. The modern phase of the field is considered to be the last 50 years or so.

Definitions include:

    • “The ability to see through the apparent confusion to spot developments before they become trends, to see patterns before they emerge, and to grasp the relevant features of social currents that are likely to shape the direction of future events” (North Whitehead, 1967, p. 89).

    • “Not the ability to predict the future…but a human attribute that allows us to weigh the pros and cons, to evaluate different courses of action and to invest possible futures on every level with enough reality and meaning to use them as decision making aids” (Slaughter, 1995, p. 1).

    • Examination of structures of power, privilege, identity and social location which guide orientation to the future, and recognized diverse and equitable roles in shaping it (Benjamin, 2019).

    • Cultivating “organizational foresightfulness,” (a social practice involving novelty, improvisation, and the potential for change) beyond a one-time intervention (Sarpon, Maclean & Alexander, 2013).

Here's a couple of our favorite short pieces about futures thinking:

A stitch in time: Realizing the value of futures and foresight (2020)

The only three trends that matter (2020)

Neither a black swan nor a zombie apocalypse: The futures of a world with covid-19 (2020)

Five principles for thinking like a futurist (2019)

Multiple articles on futures thinking from writer Aarathi Krishnan


Futures and foresight literature and methods must also be interrogated and actively cultivated as anti-racist practices, and we subscribe to futures frameworks that are intentionally oriented to be pluralistic, attentive to power dynamics and focused on equity. When only a small number of people decide what the future is - that is neither democratic, nor anti-racist.


We have been inspired by a number of leaders, activists and writers who have done work in futures practice using futures thinking and/or who have chatted with us since we began our foresight journey at PSU. They include:


Bryan Alexander - Future of Higher Education

David Bengston - Principles for Thinking About the Future

Lonny Brooks - Afrofuturism

Adrienne Maree Brown - Emergent Strategy, Future of Social Justice

Amber Case - New Ways to Think About the Future of Tech and Cyborg Anthropology

Ben Gansky - Political Economies of Technology

Walidah Imarisha - Afrofuturism, Future of Social Justice and Equity

Sohail Inayatullah - Causal Layered Analysis (A core foresight methodology) and Finding New Metaphors for Change

Vanessa Mason - the Future of Belonging

Leah Zaidi - Worldbuilding and Futures Thinking

(to name a few!)


We’ve (collectively) attended some local, national and international futures events and gatherings (virtually and in person).

We’ve also explored a lot of resources and tools shared by the Institute for the Future, Future Today Institute, World Futures Society, and the UNESCO Futures Global Futures Literacy Network.


If you're interested in a list of short films to boost your futures literacy - here's a great place to start!