Call for Papers: "Constructing Social Futures – Sustainability, Responsibility and Power”, 12.–13.6.2019, Turku

The conference invites participants to think of agency in different levels and contexts. Whether in a private commercial context, or in civil society, or in global or local communities, to what extent are futures being constructed through participation that reflects moral agency and leads to better futures for all? Can Futures Studies, as an applied practice, make a difference?

We welcome you to share your findings, ideas, results and thoughts on (but not limited to) these key topics:

1. New forms of participative democracy and their consequences (incl. AI, Digital empowerment)
2. Citizen science, power, responsibility and foresight
3. Specific social futures (case studies on welfare, human relations, work, lifestyles)
4. Foresight activities and their effect on sustainability transitions
5. Combining corporate foresight with corporate social responsibility
6. Advances in participatory methods in futures studies
7. The heterogeneity of actors and the many levels of analysis in social futures
8. Futures studies in the empowerment of agency
9. The roles of futures studies in the negotiation of values and desired futures
10. Gender perspectives in futures studies

The ‘Constructing Social Futures’ conference will create a cross-disciplinary platform where participants can meet, share, and discuss new ideas concerning social futures. The conference program will consist of keynote lectures, parallel sessions, participatory workshops and chaired poster session. The conference aims to generate multidisciplinary, stimulating and critical discussions that promote networking between people interested in futures issues from different backgrounds.