Module 3 Think Like a Futurist: History of Futures Studies
Institute for the Future: 40 + 10 Years of Foresight poster Links to an external site.
(click on the image once at the external site to enlarge/view details)
Resources for futures studies historical background:
- Coates, Vary, Farooque, Mahmud, Klavans, Richard, Lapid, Koty, Linstone, Harold A. Pistorius, Carl, & Porter, Alan L. (2001). On the Future of Technological Forecasting Links to an external site.. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 67 (1), 1-17.
- This paper covers the historical aspects and future implications of technological forecasting. "The history [of technological forecasting] and its variant forms...shows how it has responded to changing institutional motivations."
- National Resources Committee. (1937). Technological Trends and National Policy, Including the Social Implications of New Inventions Links to an external site..
- The government's "first major attempt to show the kinds of new inventions which may affect living and working conditions in America in the next 10 to 25 years." The report points out possible problems with such changes, the importance of national cooperation, and suggests public policies to handle it all.
- National Research Council. (2009). Chapter 2: Existing Technology Forecasting Methodologies Links to an external site.. In Persistent Forecasting of Disruptive Technologies (pp. 17-32). Washington D.C.: The National Academies Press. [free download of entire book or single chapters with The National Academies Press site registration]
- Chapter 2 provides a good definition of technological forecasting as well as a brief history of its origins before discussing the various methodologies involved.
- Mills, Alan. & Bishop, Peter. (2000). Applied Futurism: An Introduction for Actuaries Links to an external site.. The Society of Actuaries.
- A concise history of futures studies throughout the generations, including terminology and methodologies used.
- Bishop, Peter & Hines, Andy. (June 2012). Teaching About the Future Links to an external site.. (doi: 10.1057/9781137020703)
- This book is from the group at the University of Houston and is literally [their Graduate program] "foresight curriculum from start to finish." The books chapters correspond to each of the courses in their program, "which has adapted and evolved over the last 37 years in response to new developments in the field and changes in the marketplace for foresight."
- [This resource is not openly available without access to certain databases or from a paid source - you can check the WorldCat Links to an external site. database to see if the book is available at a library near you]
- Sardar, Ziauddin. (2009). The Namesake: Futures; futures studies; futurology; futuristic; foresight—What’s in a name? Links to an external site.Elsevier: Futures Vol. 42, pp. 177-184.
- This paper discusses the various terms used in the study of the future and reviews its history for a better understanding. "It suggests that remembering the history of futures discourse is necessary to resolve the crisis of identity and meaning, and frequent fruitless reinvention, of the field."
- Futures Studies Timeline Links to an external site., compiled by Janna Anderson, Elon University
- Easy to follow futures studies history from the earliest known futurist thinkers to 2006, pointing to some of the major events throughout time.
- Jemala, Marek. (2010). Evolution of foresight in the global historical context. Links to an external site. foresight, Vol. 12, no. 4 (pp 65-81).
- Outlines the evolution of foresight in different generations of globalization and different countries.
- [This resource is not openly available without access to certain databases or from a paid source - you can check the WorldCat Links to an external site. database to see if the journal/article is available at a library near you]