The future imagined: Exploring fiction as a means of reflecting on today’s Grand Societal Challenges and tomorrow’s options

European science policy (so-called Horizon 2020) is guided by Grand Societal Challenges (GSCs) with the explicit aim of shaping the future. In this paper we propose an innovative approach to the analysis and critique of Europe’s GSCs. The aim is to explore how speculative and creative fiction offer ways of embodying, telling, imagining, and symbolising ‘futures’, that can provide alternative frames and understandings to enrich the grand challenges of the 21st century, and the related rationale and agendas for ERA and H2020. We identify six ways in which filmic and literary representations can be considered creative foresight methods (i.e. through: creative input, detail, warning, reflection, critique, involvement) and can provide alternative perspectives on these central challenges, and warning signals for the science policy they inform. The inquiry involved the selection of 64 novels and movies engaging with notions of the future, produced over the last 150 years. Content analysis based on a standardised matrix of major themes and sub-domains, allows to build a hierarchy of themes and to identify major patterns of long-lasting concerns about humanity’s future. The study highlights how fiction sees oppression, inequality and a range of ethical issues linked to human and nature’s dignity as central to, and inseparable from innovation, technology and science. It concludes identifying warning signals in four major domains, arguing that these signals are compelling, and ought to be heard, not least because elements of such future have already escaped the imaginary world to make part of today’s experience. It identifies areas poorly defined or absent from Europe's science agenda, and argues for the need to increase research into human, social, political and cultural processes involved in techno-science endeavours.

The challenges of integrating the discussion of controversial issues in initial teacher training

In the framework of the Bologna process, and with regard to pre-service teacher education, it is necessary to model student-centred learning experiences in order to promote the required competences for future professional practice and critical participation in society. Despite the potential of discussion in promoting several competences, this methodology does not always integrate the teaching practices. This case study sought to: a) understand the experiences and views of future teachers from a School of Education on the use of discussion in their past education; and b) investigate the impact of an educational experience centred on discussion. Data were collected through narratives, questionnaires, interviews and participant observation. The learning situations experienced through this study contributed to the development of citizens more aware of their role in society and allowed the promotion of skills indispensable for an Elementary Education teacher.