Understanding futures, utopias and dystopias holistically
Currently, social debates are being influenced by the preoccupation of numerous stakeholders with concerns about the future, whether in the context of activism, political debates, or entrepreneurial endeavors. This is exemplified by the global climate movement, the intense debate regarding the future of democracy, and the impact of artificial intelligence. This heightened emphasis on the future is amongst the many responses to the accelerating global challenges, including the climate crisis, disruptive technological advancements, the emergence of the new right, and geopolitical shifts. In the transition to the second quarter of the 21st century, the concepts of utopias, dystopias, and the future have emerged as a focal point of social discourse. The project group's dedicated objective is to comprehend these processes and actors and engage in a dialogue with them. The identification of the interfaces between scientific discoveries and social visions of the future is a particular emphasis.
Goals
• take up the increased social debate about futures, utopias and dystopias and reflect on them in an interdisciplinary way
• integrate diverse perspectives from experts within and outside the scientific community and thus develop a holistic understanding of this complex topic
• feed reflections into both academic and public discourse using suitable formats
• in addition to the discussion of established visions of the future, the co-creation of possible and desirable futures should also be encouraged
Project description
Human thought and action are fundamentally defined by the concepts of imagination and temporality. They serve as the foundation for our capacity to envision potential futures and gaze beyond the present. The scientific and social examination of futures, utopias, and dystopias is becoming increasingly significant in a time characterized by multiple, overlapping crises and respective shifts in temporal orders.
The topic's increasing relevance across a variety of research fields and disciplines is a reflection of this development. This is evident in areas as diverse as technology assessment, research on climate issues, and democracy theory, as well as in the research field of collapsology, which examines the potential collapse of industrial civilizations. The social, political, and cultural implications of utopian and dystopian concepts are examined in the humanities and social sciences. Future scenarios are employed in the natural sciences to facilitate intricate modeling and forecasting. Technical disciplines conduct research and develop methods to either prevent or realize specific future scenarios. Urban planning is concerned with the concrete design of future living spaces, whereas law is responsible for the analysis and creation of the legal and normative framework conditions that govern social and technological advancements.
Review and perspectives
14.11.2024: Kick-off event - Panel Discussion with Graphic Recording "Utopias are dead. Long live Utopias!"
2025: Comic project, amongst others
