5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

The ISA Research Committees on Futures Research (RC07) and Sociological Theory (RC16) are planning one or more sessions on the epistemes, methods, and normative assumptions of futures research in an era of multipolar turbulence, specters of disruption, and new modes of anticipatory governance. Bringing different approaches to futures research into dialogue has become increasingly urgent. Theoretical and theory-reflective empirical studies are welcomed that address questions such as: How do the turbulences and disruptions associated with ecological destruction, global heating, artificial intelligence, and geopolitical shifts transform (un)certainties? What makes scenarios appear plausible, possible, probable, preventable, or preferable? What are the implications of time-frame, spatial scale, and contextual scope for research outcomes? How are risks and opportunities being calculated, visualized, or obscured? Who produces, disseminates, and validates professional futures studies for what purposes and with what consequences? To whom are futures studies accessible? What normative assumptions are built into the practice of futures research? How can sociological futures research engage with broader publics and democratize futures?