Abstract

In times of ever faster technological progress, economic and cultural globalisation and social change, the economy and politics need reliable orientation knowledge about the future. In many European countries - from Spain to Finland - university institutions, independent research institutes and think tanks in companies and public authorities are developing this orientation knowledge.
In a total of eleven individual contributions by prominent European futurologists, institutions in seven countries and at EU level are presented. The reports on fundamental issues and central projects provide insights into the topics and working methods of the institutes, the difficulties involved in the political and economic implementation of the results and the core concepts of shaping the future.
An outline of the history of futurology, a programmatic introduction to its basic concerns and an appendix with short profiles and Internet addresses of around 40 institutes and organisations round off the volume and make it an informative reference work for anyone who wants to find out about the current state of futurology.

Authors