The Future: A Very Short Introduction by Jennifer M. Gidley (OUP, 2017)

BOOK REVIEW in  Scenario Magazine: Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies”

“Every day we think of the future in a trivial way. We have short-term and long-term plans for our lives. But as regular readers of this magazine will be aware, the future also exists as a field of study with its own theoretical concepts, history, philosophy, methodology, and scholars whom we typically call futurists.

The Future: A Very Short Introduction is a concise introductory textbook to futures studies written by futurist and former president of the World Futures Studies Federation, Jennifer Gidley. In the book, Gidley tracks the development of futures studies along with the evolution of philosophical thought over the centuries. Studying the future is the first step to anticipating it, and Gidley explains the central principle of the discipline as a way for people to imagine and implement the ‘tomorrow’ we want.

The book is a must read for erudites desiring to broaden their knowledge on the subject. For those considering applying futures thinking in their academic or corporate research, the book serves as a guide for further reading based on Jennifer Gidley’s deep and thorough understanding of futures studies as a discipline.”

Scenario: A Briefing on Trends, Ideas, Visions and Possible Futures. Vol. 6, 2017, p. 71. Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies

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