An Investigation of Futures Studies Scholarly Literature

Abstract

Over time, a number of scholars have proposed contrasted viewpoints on futures studies. Each investigation into the making and evolution has required tremendous efforts to identify landmark publications and to recognize emerging concepts.

A growing body of professional futurists are now advocating for the collaborative design and recognition of a discipline of anticipation. They often rely on practices and preferences, inspired by their personal experience (Missler-Behr 2006).

We hypothesize that a bibliometrics and social network analysis of futures studies scholarly literature may provide a tangible reference frame for researchers and practitioners. The aim is to advance further in the definition of such discipline of anticipation. We specifically aim at revealing the social structures that bond researchers and practitioners together as well as the subject matters featured in the scholarly literature.

Our investigation of futures studies through scholarly literature shows that qualitative, “complexity- and uncertainty-compatible” foresight concepts, methods, and techniques are increasingly pushed forward by researchers. Such academic effort may well be feeding the practitioners community with innovative, future-oriented, or management models. All the while, it is fueled by real-life, seemingly unsolvable situations where traditional, prediction-oriented (i.e., past-oriented) approaches are failing.