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Imagining democratic societies of the future: Insights from a foresight study

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  • Lucia Vesnic‐Alujevic

Abstract

This paper explores the future government models and emerging societal challenges in the relationship between citizens and governments. By assessing various factors and their convergence, among which the uptake of participatory governance on the one hand, and the governance of digital technologies and media on the other, four scenarios have been created: DIY Democracy, Private Algocracy, Super Collaborative Government, and Over Regulatocracy. These scenarios, emerged from participatory workshops and based on civic imagination, are used as tools for reflection. They were further employed in conversations with stakeholders to explore new possibilities and challenge preconceived ideas about governments today, as well as assess the redistribution of power relations between societal actors and political institutions as we move toward 2030. The paper concludes by discussing the benefits of civic imagination for thinking about the futures of our democratic societies and the need for broader perspectives and a combination of theoretical and methodological approaches for setting the future policy and research agendas.

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  • Lucia Vesnic‐Alujevic, 2021. "Imagining democratic societies of the future: Insights from a foresight study," Futures & Foresight Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 3(1), March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:fufsci:v:3:y:2021:i:1:n:ffo260
    DOI: 10.1002/ffo2.60
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