Polycrisis, new forms of globalization, demographic shifts, the climate crisis, migration flows, the energy transition, and rapid advances in technology and science are just a few of the forces reshaping our future. These changes are creating uncertainty and diminishing our ability to navigate the unknown and tap into our imagination. To meet these challenges, we need new skills in Anticipation and Strategic Foresight – what Futures & Foresight (Futures Studies and Strategic Foresight) offer.

Nicoletta Boldrini takes us on a journey through Futures Studies, exploring the knowledge (the knowing), skills (the knowing how to do) and mindset (the knowing how to be), necessary to understand and shape the future.

FUTURES PRIMER: The ABCs of the Future

Excerpt from the book’s introduction.

Welcome aboard an extraordinary intellectual and practical adventure – a journey into the world of Futures Studies. This discipline helps us harness our imagination to explore possible futures and reshape our present reality. If you’ve decided to keep this book, you’ve already taken the first step toward acquiring one of the most revolutionary skills of the 21st century: Futures Thinking.

We’re living in a time where rapid, constant change has become the norm, and we’re both drawn to and anxious about future scenarios that seem darker and more threatening with each passing day.
What disorients us isn’t just change itself, but the pace, frequency, and interconnectedness of it all. We’re navigating an era of relentless transitions, where today’s choices have profound impacts on the world we’ll face tomorrow.

This book isn’t some naive treasure map for exploring the future. Instead, think of it as a provocative guide – a tool to help you build and use your own compass as you venture into the unknown. No one can predict the future with certainty, but we can all influence it by dodging predetermined paths and using the right tools to navigate the many possibilities that lie ahead.

Let the journey into Futures Studies begin. May it inspire, provoke, and – most importantly – equip you with the courage and optimism you’ll need to face the futures ahead.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PURCHASE THE BOOK, VISIT FUTURESPRIMER.COM