IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/fufsci/v7y2025i1ne70006.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Revisiting the Use and Utility of Domain Mapping: A Comparative Study of the Future(s) of Diplomacy and International Affairs

Author

Listed:
  • Alex Wilner
  • Talya Stein

Abstract

Domain mapping is a necessary yet too‐easily overshadowed component of strategic foresight. A domain is defined as any topic that serves as the central focus of a foresight project. Domain mapping is the process of conceptually framing its scope, often by way of participatory brainstorming sessions with subject matter experts. Domain mapping should be thought of as a prerequisite to robust foresight research, a crucial and necessary preliminary step that animates all subsequent processes. Our article has two objectives: to reinvigorate the discussion on the use and utility of domain mapping by illustrating how, why, and when to use the technique; and, using a series of nine domain maps created with hundreds of Canadian public servants between 2018 and 2024, to test a novel approach for empirically evaluating the cumulative results of domain mapping by comparatively assessing the thematic shifts policy practitioners have attributed to the future(s) of diplomacy and international affairs. Our approach illustrates how longitudinal empirical studies of domain maps can shed light on the emerging and shifting perspectives of foresight experts and policy practitioners. The paper highlights nine separate uses for the technique, identifies where foresight and domain mapping are currently used within the Canadian government, analyzes an original set of related domain maps, and provides lessons on facilitating, using, and applying domain mapping with a focus on representation, group dynamics, and data quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex Wilner & Talya Stein, 2025. "Revisiting the Use and Utility of Domain Mapping: A Comparative Study of the Future(s) of Diplomacy and International Affairs," Futures & Foresight Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 7(1), April.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:fufsci:v:7:y:2025:i:1:n:e70006
    DOI: 10.1002/ffo2.70006
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/ffo2.70006
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/ffo2.70006?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:fufsci:v:7:y:2025:i:1:n:e70006. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)2573-5152 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.