Towards a definition of Future Imaginaries

This chapter is part of my Master’s Thesis - Future Imaginaries.

The term Future Imaginaries brings together the futures studies’ understanding of the future with the concept of imaginaries from social theory.

In this chapter, the observations from Chapter 2 are combined and used for a theoretical approach to the concept of Future Imaginaries.

The goal is first to narrow down Future Imaginaries in more detail. What are possible characteristics, and what distinguishes them? Then, it is essential to distinguish them from similar concepts to examine how they fit into the existing conceptual landscape.

• 3.1 Observations from the examination of futures and imaginaries
• 3.2 Condensation of future imaginaries
  • 3.2.1 Characteristics of future Imaginaries
  • 3.2.2 Components of future imaginaries
  • 3.2.3 Roles of future imaginaries
• 3.3 Differentiation from similar terms
  • 3.3.1 Metaphor
  • 3.3.2 Myth
  • 3.3.3 Common sense
  • 3.3.4 Vision
  • 3.3.5 Leitbild
  • 3.3.6 Megatrend
  • 3.3.7 Collective memory
• 3.4 Conceptual challenges and inconsistencies
  • 3.4.1 The vagueness of future imaginaries
  • 3.4.2 The distinction between imaginaries and future imaginaries
  • 3.4.3 Minimum group size for (future) imaginaries
  • 3.4.4 Effect of performativity on future imaginaries