This text discusses the focus on futures and peacebuilding, particularly in the context of the Next Generations Foresight Practitioners’ network and their collaboration with SOIF. The text highlights the overlooked tradition of futures work on peacebuilding, as compared to the attention given to defense and security. It references the work of Elise Boulding, Warren Ziegler, Robert Jungk, and Johann Galtung in imagining a future non-violent world. The text also mentions Galtung’s ‘Transcend’ method on peaceful conflict resolution and the question of managing disputes and difference without violence in the context of peacebuilding and reconstruction. Overall, the text emphasizes the importance of addressing peacebuilding challenges and generating new ideas to address potential conflicts arising from climate change and inequality.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus on futures and peacebuilding | Shift in attention from defense and security | Increased emphasis on peacebuilding | Desire for a non-violent world |
| Overlooked work on imagining a non-violent world | Neglect of imagining a future without violence | Increased exploration of a non-violent world | Desire to understand and work towards peace |
| Democratizing futures | Reduction of armament financing for futures research | Increased democratization of futures research | Desire to remove armament influence |
| Thought experiment on conflict resolution | Exploration of peaceful conflict resolution methods | Increased use of peaceful conflict resolution methods | Desire to manage disputes without violence |
| Potential for conflict due to climate change | Increased potential for conflict | Increased focus on peacebuilding and conflict resolution | Desire to prevent and manage conflict |