Imagining the collective future: A sociocultural perspective
Tania Zittoun & Alex Gillespie
| Abstract |
The present chapter examines how groups imagine their future from a
sociocultural perspective. First, we present our sociocultural
model of imagination and its three dimensions, before building on
it to account for how collectives imagine the future. We maintain
that it is a mistake to assume that because imagination is “not
real”, it cannot have “real” consequences. Imagination about the future, we argue, is a central steering mechanism of individual and collective behaviour. Imagination about the future is often political precisely because it can have huge significance for the activities of a group or even a nation. Accordingly, we introduce a new dimension for thinking about collective imagination of the future— namely, the degree of centralization of imagining—and with it, identify a related aspect, its emotional valence. Based on two examples, we argue that collective imaginings have their own developmental trajectories as they move in time through particular social and political contexts. Consequently, we suggest that a sociocultural psychology of collective imagination of the future should not only document instances of collective imagining, but also account for these developmental trajectories— specifically, what social and political forces hinder and promote particular imaginings. |
| Keywords |
Imagination; collective; future; moon; sociocultural psychology |
| Citation | Zittoun, T., & Gillespie, A. (2018). Imagining the collective future: A sociocultural perspective. In C. de Saint Laurent, S. Obradovic & K. R. . Carriere (Eds.), Imagining Collective Futures (pp. 15-37). London: Palgrave. |
| Type | Book chapter (English) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Editor | Constance De Saint Laurent, Sandra Obradovic, Kevin R. Carriere |
| Book title | Imagining Collective Futures |
| Publisher | Palgrave (London) |
| Pages | 15-37 |
| URL | https://doc.rero.ch/record/309305?ln=fr |
| Related project | Imagination |