Futures in Contention: Projective Deliberation & Transformative Politics in the Global Arena

Support for a research trip to Nairobi to interview foresight practitioners at local think tanks engaged in community-based participatory scenario planning processes related to development, peacebuilding, and climate change adaptation. This research is part of a larger book project on the use of cultural technologies for future projection in transnational public interventions. Kenya has been the site of several foresight processes in the past decade, focusing on youth futures, conflict prevention, climate change adaptation, coastal management, agricultural planning and urban development. I will interview foresight teams at local organizations as well as facilitators of and participants in past scenario planning processes. I will also explore future collaboration with Kenyan researchers and practitioners engaged in “futures work.” By focusing on tools for democratic deliberation and community development, this research clearly connects to the Kellogg core focus on both democracy and development.