Futures Research Unpacked explores thought-provoking research in futures studies, strategic foresight, and related fields. Each episode breaks down one paper in a way that's easy to follow but still rich in ideas.
Futures Research Unpacked
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62 episodes
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Podcast Overview
Futures Research Unpacked explores thought-provoking research in futures studies, strategic foresight, and related fields. Each episode breaks down one paper in a way that's easy to follow but still rich in ideas.
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Publishing Since
6/23/2025
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Recent Episodes
June 22, 2026
#60 - Curry and Schultz - Roads Less Travelled Different Methods, Different
Imagine you’re tasked with mapping out the future of your organization. You gather the same data, the same experts, and the same concerns. But what if the very tool you choose to organize those thoughts—the "method" of your foresight—completely changed the final picture you drew? In this episode, we explore a fascinating experiment that asks: do different scenario-building methods generate distinctively different futures? This paper takes a single set of data regarding the future of civil society and re-processes it through four distinct frameworks: the corporate "gold standard" 2x2 matrix, Causal Layered Analysis (CLA), the Manoa approach, and scenario archetypes. The authors move beyond theoretical debate to show how each method creates a unique "intellectual fulcrum," influencing not just the resulting narratives but the very quality of the conversation and engagement in the room. By comparing these outputs, the study reveals that while some methods excel at generating strategic clarity and logical "audit trails," others are far more effective at "disturbing the present" and surfacing deep-seated cultural myths. The findings suggest that relying on a single method may inadvertently limit our peripheral vision, making the choice of foresight tool a critical strategic decision in itself. • The choice of method significantly alters whether a scenario feels like a static "snapshot" or a dynamic "network" of evolving events. • Causal Layered Analysis is uniquely effective at disrupting prevailing worldviews by shifting focus from literal trends to underlying social metaphors. • The 2x2 matrix provides high structural coherence but can often fail to "startle" participants or provoke transformation in deep structures. • Methodological pluralism is essential to avoid the trap of wholly Western worldviews and to capture a more diverse array of potential outcomes. Tune in as we navigate the "roads less travelled" in futures research and discover why your choice of tool might be the most important decision you make. Ref: Andrew Curry, Wendy Schultz. Roads Less Travelled: Different Methods, Different Futures. Journal of Futures Studies, 13(4), 2009, 35-60.
June 21, 2026
#59 - 2023 - The Case for Treating Reframing and Imagination as
Imagine you’re a student on "panic day," the high-stakes moment when internship placements are announced. Your heart is racing, and your future feels like a blurry, frightening cloud of "what-ifs." Or perhaps you’re a mid-career professional facing long-term unemployment, feeling your sense of identity and value slip away with every rejection letter. In this episode, we dive into research on how "reframing" and "imagining"—traditionally seen as tools for designers or corporate strategists—are actually essential life skills for navigating the personal anxieties of an uncertain world. Drawing on two distinct studies—one involving journalism students and another with job-seeking academics—the author explores how active imagination can dismantle the paralyzing grip of uncertainty. Instead of viewing the future as a noun—a place we passively wait to arrive at—the paper argues we must treat it as a verb: an active space for creation and personal agency. The findings highlight a fascinating tension: while some students dismissed these creative exercises as "unserious," the job-seeking professionals found them transformative. By visualizing their "worst-case" scenarios, participants weren't wallowing in pessimism; they were actually grounding their fears, which allowed them to move from passive waiting to entrepreneurial action. This study bridges the gap between neuropsychology and futures literacy, showing that our ability to change the meaning we attach to our struggles is perhaps our greatest superpower in the 21st century. • Reframing Uncertainty: Transitioning from viewing anxiety as a threat to treating it as a creative resource through cognitive flexibility. • Future as a Verb: Adopting the perspective that the future is something we actively "do" rather than a destination we passively inhabit. • The Worst-Case Benefit: How visualizing negative scenarios can make fears concrete, identifying actionable paths and reducing psychological paralysis. • Identity Decoupling: Using "life-centred design" to separate personal value from professional status, particularly during periods of career transition. Tune in as we unpack how to transform your worries into creative energy and learn to see the "tragic gap" as a launchpad for your next big move. Ref: Sørensen, Kirsten Bonde. The Case for Treating Reframing and Imagination as Powerful Life Skills. 2023.
June 19, 2026
#58 - From Strategic to Transformative Foresight: Using Space to Transform Time
Have you ever felt like your workday is just a relentless trek through a thick, tangled jungle? You're so busy dodging daily fires and hacking through red tape that the very idea of looking at the horizon—let alone the stars—seems like a luxury you can't afford. This feeling isn't just burnout; it’s a symptom of being trapped in a specific spatial reality that dictates how you see the future. In this episode, we explore a profound conversation between Sohail Inayatullah and John A. Sweeney about evolving the "strategic landscape" model. We unpack how organizations can move beyond the "jungle" of competition and the "chessboard" of cold strategy to reach the "mountain tops" of scenarios and the "star" of core vision. The authors argue that the real tragedy of modern foresight is when it becomes purely strategic—a zero-sum game of optimization—rather than transformative. To change the future, they suggest, we must first change the "self" and the deep metaphors we live by. • The Four Terrains: Mapping organizational life across the Jungle (chaos/competition), the Chessboard (rational strategy), the Mountain Tops (scenarios), and the Star (vision). • From Strategy to Transformation: Why the goal of foresight should shift from "winning" to creating emergence and collective learning. • The Power of Narrative: Moving from the metaphor of the "castle under siege" to the "jazz orchestra" to foster flexibility and excellence. • Inner Landscapes: Using Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) to bring the "I" into the model, ensuring personal transformation matches systemic change. Tune in as we discuss how to put space back into time and find the energy for genuine systemic transformation. Ref: Sohail Inayatullah, John A. Sweeney. From Strategic to Transformative Foresight: Using Space to Transform Time. World Futures Review, 13(1), 2021, 27–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/1946756720971743
62 total episodes available
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This podcast updates daily.
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