APF Most Significant Futures Works Winners 2020

One of my favorite things to do each year is to coordinate the APF’s Most Significant Futures Works program. We recently announced this year’s winners. We are building quite a library of significant futures works….stretching back to 2007. So, when someone asks “what does good futures work look like?” Point them to past winners.

We had a “record” 24 nominations this year! Six winners were selected. Each winner is recommended by a two-judge team and confirmed by the full panel of judges.

Category 1 Advance the methodology and practice of foresight and futures studies

• Natural Language Processing and Futures Studies. Walter Kehl, Mike Jackson, and Alessandro Fergnani, Article , 2019, World Futures Review, First Published October 28, 2019, Category 1: Advance the methodology and practice of foresight and futures studies. Nominating member: Bryan Alexander
• Transforming the Future (Open Access): Anticipation in the 21st Century. Riel Miller, Ed. 2018. Book . Category 1: Advance the methodology and practice of foresight and futures studies. Nominated by John Sweeney.
• Full-Spectrum Thinking: How to Escape Boxes in a Post-Categorical Future; Bob Johansen [Institute for the Future]; Book ; Category 1: Advance the Methodology and Practice of Foresight. Nominated by Sam Miller

Category 2 Analyze a significant future issue 

• Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education, Bryan Alexander, Book , 2020, Category 2 Analyze a significant future issue. Nominating member: Marius Oosthuizen
• Worldbuilding in Science Fiction, Foresight, and Design, Leah Zaidi, Article , 2019, Journal of Futures Studies, 2(12). Category 2 Analyze a significant future issue.  Nominating member: Christine McGlade
• What Ownership Structures Will Emerge in an Automated Future?Tim Morgan. Blog Posts (set) . Category: 2 Analyze a significant future issue. 2019. APF Emerging Fellows Blog. Nominating member: Leah Zaidi

Category 3:  Illuminate the future through literary or artistic works

• no winner this year

[special] Category 4: Responses to Covid-19 Pandemic

• no winner this year

See the full list of nominated works.

Core Committee and the judges

I would like to acknowledge my fellow core committee members Jennifer Jarratt, Sam Miller, and Rowena Morrow and this year’s judges, without whom this program does not happen:  Yousif Alzaabi, Tim Balko, Laurent Bontoux, James Breaux, Jason Crabtree, David Hamon, Robin Jourdan, Jan Klakurka, Jim Lee, Christopher Mayer, Mina McBride, Nandagopal, Guillermina Baena Paz, Daniel Pesut, Monica Porteanu, Gabriele Rizzo, Maria Romero, Laura Schlehuber, Johann Schutte, Sarah Skidmore

 Thank you all so much for another successful program. – Andy Hines