ABSTRACT
The prevailing model of making decisions about the future is one of rational, evidence-based planning. It is also one that is functional only within a relatively simple and stable world. We offer here a social constructionist alternative, one more fully suited to a world of infinitely complex instability. A constructionist orientation emphasizes the social process by which our understandings of the world, along with our rationalities and values are cocreated. In this chapter, we lay out premises central to a constructionist orientation, introduce examples from across a range of disciplines, and provide insight into the ongoing process of future forming. In conclusion, we propose that constructionist practices for creating futures simultaneously bring a collaboration-centered way of life into being.
