Practicable Futures Research: Bridging Foresight and Sustainability Studies (De Gruyter Textbook)

In an age defined by uncertainty and transformation, this book was written to bridge the gap between Futures Studies and Sustainability Research, two fields that share a concern for long-term thinking yet often remain methodologically separate.

It introduces the conceptual and methodological foundations of Futures Studies and connects them with established approaches from sustainability science, economics, history, and the natural and social sciences. Readers are guided through core foresight methods such as trend analysis, scenario building, backcasting, and participatory tools, before exploring their intersections with models of resource availability, planetary boundaries, and adaptive systems. The book also integrates historical perspectives on growth, limits, and cultural evolution, providing a multidimensional understanding of how futures are shaped.

By combining analytical rigor with imaginative foresight, it equips researchers, practitioners, and students with interdisciplinary tools to address complex sustainability challenges and to envision more resilient, desirable futures.