Doing futures research—Anthropologically

Abstract

Applied anthropologists are adopting the assumptions, aims and methods of futures research, and offering the five-concept paradigm—culture, time depth, holism, cross-cultural perspective and multiple perspectives—of traditional anthropology in response to criticisms of futures research. In this article an integration of anthropological and futures research theories and methods is detailed; and the utility of doing futures research anthropologically is illustrated in examples from the initial round of a multi-method, community-focused futures research and public education project.