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Futures and Foresight Science September-December issue published - Special section on resistance to scientific theory + videos

  • 1.  Futures and Foresight Science September-December issue published - Special section on resistance to scientific theory + videos

    Posted 11-09-2021 06:11
    Dear Colleagues,

    The September-December issue of Futures and Foresight Science is now published online. It features a special section on the "resistance to scientific theory". The section elaborates and expands on epistemological and methodological issues of organizational theory as discussed by seminal works by Sutton & Staw, Weick, Whetten, Van de Ven, Cornelissen, and more, yet it also touches upon the barriers to creating such theory which are very idiosyncratic to futures and foresight practices in organizations. Specifically, the special section features a scholarly debate initiated by a focal paper written by Fergnani & Chermack, ten commentaries in response to the focal paper, and a rejoinder to the commentaries by Fergnani & Chermack. The full outline of the special section (available here: FUTURES & FORESIGHT SCIENCE: Vol 3, No 3-4) is as follows;

    FOCAL PAPER
    -The resistance to scientific theory in futures and foresight, and what to do about it, by Fergnani & Chermack
     Also available in a long video-abstract here: The Resistance to Scientific Theory in Futures and Foresight - Presentation
     Also available in a 42 minutes long video presentation here: Global Foresight Summit 2021: Alex Fergnani

    COMMENTARIES
    -A bibliometric review of scientific theory in futures and foresight, a commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021, by Munch & von der Gracht
    -Resistance to hegemony in theorising scenario methods: a manifesto in response to Fergnani & Chermack 2021, by Cairns
    -Developing the needed scientific theory won't be easy: a commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021, By Salo
    -Theory development in foresight research: a commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021, by Schoemaker
    -Advancing scenario planning theory: a commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021, by Phadnis
    -Why appealing to the virtues of scientific theory (and method) is necessary but insufficient for effecting systemic change: a commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021, by Hodgkinson
    -A positive future for futures and foresight science needs fierce competition in the marketplace of ideas: a commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021, by Mandel
    -The reception of theory in futures and foresight: a commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021, by Rowland and Spaniol
    -Rigor and diversity in the futures field: a commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021, by Minkkinen
    -Toward theory development in futures and foresight by drawing on design theory: a commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021, by Kishita, Kusaka, Mizuno, Umeda

    REJOINDER
    -Toward a science of futures and foresight: response to 10 experts' commentaries, by Fergnani & Chermack


    In occasion of the publication of the special section, I have also produced a video where I reflect on the ideological divides that both motivated the focal paper and that were reflected in the following debate. In short, I argue that extreme postmodernist positions (relativism, rejection of an objective reality, etc.) are still produced and fueled by extreme positivist positions (intransigent way to conduct scientific inquiry, obsession with "top journals" and with "contribution to theory", etc.). In response, I propose critical realism as a possible solution. The video is available here: When Academia Falls into Ideologies: Reflections on the "Resistance to Science Debate"
    (The views expressed in this video are not necessarily representative of the view of the journal or of my coauthor)

    YouTube remove preview
    When Academia Falls into Ideologies: Reflections on the "Resistance to Science Debate"
    This video provides some reflections on the ideological divides in social science academia, which were uncovered in the special section on the "resistance to...
    View this on YouTube >


    Some schools do not have access to the full Wiley library, so Futures and Foresight Science might not be included. If you are interested in this special issue but don't have access to the journal, feel free to reach out to me and I will be more than happy to send you the papers. Also, further comments, feedback and discussions are very much welcome. I hope this is helpful!

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    Alessandro (Alex) Fergnani
    NUS Business School
    Singapore
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