Women in Futures Studies
Futures Studies was born with a strong traction of female scholars and futurists such as Donella Meadows, Eleonora Barbieri Masini, Wendy Schulz, and Barbara Ward. But many other personalities have not enjoyed the same visibility as their male colleagues, in a field where the need to bring out women’s visions of the future, usually different from those of men, is essential.
Futurist women focus on studying the future in order to redefine the present and articulate alternative visions. The aim is often to unhinge dominant trends over the centuries in order to imagine preferable futures of cultural and social emancipation.
The Women in Futures Studies project aims to bring out the forgotten voices of the protagonists of futures studies and, at the same time, to give voice to the futurists of today, in order to promote gender balance in Foresight.
Call for contribution
The call is divided into two parts:
- Women in Futures Studies: addressed to female professional futurists and futures scholars who intend to enhance the gender component in Futures Studies through papers to be given during the opening plenary session of the Futures Studies 2025 Conference.
- Herstory of Futures Studies: addressed to professional futurists and futures scholars to enhance the voices of the past in Futures Studies through contributions for a volume to be published in 2026.
Women in Futures Studies
Proposals must be submitted by female professional futurists and emerging futurist scholars.
Each proposal in English of a maximum of 3,000 characters must include:
- A concise presentation of their work and contribution to Futures Studies and social foresight.
- A brief biography of a professional futures scholar or futurist whose story you intend to tell, who through the use of methodologies specific to social foresight has contributed to promoting long-term visions.
Accepted proposals will have the opportunity to give a 15′ talk in the plenary session of the Futures Studies 2025 Conference to be held in Naples from 25 to 27 September (plenary session scheduled on 25 September from 6.30 p.m.) with exemption of the conference registration fee. During the talk, the speaker will present her own work in the field of Futures Studies and how the chosen reference figure can be a source of inspiration.
By submitting your proposal, you also undertake to submit by 31 December 2025 a biographical article on the chosen figure as specified in the call below.
Proposals may be sent in a Word or compatible file to segreteria@futureinstitute.it with the subject line ‘Women in Futures Studies’ by 15 July 2025. The outcome of the selection will be communicated by 31 July 2025.
Herstory of Futures Studies
The concept of herstory was coined to bring out the ignored or forgotten voices of women who made history. In the field of the history of science, the herstory approach is increasingly valorising contributions from women whom male prejudices and patriarchal societies have passed over in silence.
The call for contributions is open to professional futurists and futures scholars from any country and gender.
Each proposal in English of maximum 3,000 characters must include, in addition to the ones mentioned above:
- A short biography of a future scholar or professional futurist whose story you intend to tell, who through the use of methodologies specific to social foresight has contributed to promoting long-term visions.
- One’s own short bio-bibliography.
Accepted proposals will be required to submit an article of between 10,000 and 20,000 characters including spaces, in Italian or English, which recounts and enhances the contribution of the proposed personality, including through interviews (if they are living scholars or futurists), by 31 December 2025.
By way of example, notable female scholars of the future or futurists (living or from the past) may be considered:
- Magda Cordell McHale among the co-founders of the Acadrmy of Arts and Sciences.
- Leena-Majia Laurén of the University of Turku in Finland.
- Fabiènne Goux-Baudiment former president of the World Futures Studies Federation.
- Jennifer M. Gidley former president of the World Futures Studies Federation.
- Heifi Toffler, co-author of the works of her husband Alvin Toffler.
Proposals can be sent in a Word or compatible file to segreteria@futureinstitute.it with the subject line ‘Herstory of Futures Studies’ by 15 July 2025. The outcome of the selection will be announced by 31 July 2025.
Selecting Committee
Mirella Orsi
Science writer and journalist, graduated in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology. A member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), she is involved in science communication in the UK and Italy. She is editor of the book ‘Prime. Dieci scienziate per l‘ambiente’ (2023).
Carolina Facioni
Research Assistant at the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), she is Chief Scientist for Futures Studies at the Italian Institute for the Future. Her main research interests include social forecasting, demographic emergencies and the study of quality of life indicators.
Sveva Avveduto
Emeritus researcher, former CNR research manager, she is president of the Women and Science Association and Italian delegate Women20, Engagement Group of the G20. In addition to her work within CNR and with Italian and foreign universities and research institutes, she has collaborated with the OECD and is the Italian manager of numerous European projects.
