YOUTH FUTURES: YOUTH FUTURES: ANTICIPATORY ANTICIPATORY

KNOWLEDGE ROLESKNOWLEDGE ROLES

Arthur HarkinsArthur Harkins

University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota

Preamble for historians and Preamble for historians and social realists…social realists…

A future can be located anywhere in virtual or A future can be located anywhere in virtual or clock time.clock time.

This means that no part of history or pre-history, This means that no part of history or pre-history, or ‘the’ present, is excluded from what we shall or ‘the’ present, is excluded from what we shall propose to bring youth into newly productive propose to bring youth into newly productive relationships with civic and work forces.relationships with civic and work forces.

Our approach is to link anticipatory knowledge Our approach is to link anticipatory knowledge and futuring processes to the creation of and futuring processes to the creation of alternative presents.alternative presents.

First, what is knowledge?First, what is knowledge?

Knowledge is the result of thought Knowledge is the result of thought processes that create meaning.processes that create meaning.

Knowledge is built up from information, Knowledge is built up from information, much of it tacit rather than explicit.much of it tacit rather than explicit.

Knowledge reverts to information once it is Knowledge reverts to information once it is made explicit by the originator and/or within made explicit by the originator and/or within a social context.a social context.

Knowledge is developed continuously within Knowledge is developed continuously within healthy, involved people, including youth.healthy, involved people, including youth.

Second, what is anticipatory Second, what is anticipatory knowledge?knowledge?

Anticipatory knowledge is the result of Anticipatory knowledge is the result of everyday and professional/artistic thinking everyday and professional/artistic thinking about “what could be”.about “what could be”.

Anticipatory knowledge is the major product Anticipatory knowledge is the major product of anticipatory thinking.of anticipatory thinking.

Anticipatory thinking is a survival Anticipatory thinking is a survival mechanism.mechanism.

Anticipatory knowledge becomes new Anticipatory knowledge becomes new information once it is made explicit by the information once it is made explicit by the originator and/or within a social context.originator and/or within a social context.

Problems retaining and using Problems retaining and using anticipatory knowledgeanticipatory knowledge

Youth have a major problem with “locked up” Youth have a major problem with “locked up” anticipatory knowledge.anticipatory knowledge.

Most anticipatory knowledge is locked up Most anticipatory knowledge is locked up inside the minds of individuals, rendering it inside the minds of individuals, rendering it useless beyond the impact of the originating useless beyond the impact of the originating mind. It is “only” implicit.mind. It is “only” implicit.

Personal, social and cultural contexts must Personal, social and cultural contexts must support anticipatory knowledge if it is to support anticipatory knowledge if it is to become explicit and transform to useable new become explicit and transform to useable new information.information.

Comprehending the problem IComprehending the problem I

Our task is to help youth unlock their tacit Our task is to help youth unlock their tacit anticipatory knowledge and make it socially anticipatory knowledge and make it socially and culturally available as information.and culturally available as information.

To do this, our schools and youth services To do this, our schools and youth services institutions must allocate at least one-third institutions must allocate at least one-third of their resources to promoting anticipatory of their resources to promoting anticipatory thought.thought.

The other two-thirds of their resources must The other two-thirds of their resources must be allocated to anticipatory practices.be allocated to anticipatory practices.

Leapfrogging the problem I Leapfrogging the problem I

These steps act to reorient schools and These steps act to reorient schools and youth service agencies from the present youth service agencies from the present and past toward alternative futures.and past toward alternative futures.

These changes permit These changes permit Leapfrog ForwardLeapfrog Forward, , or actions that project, anticipate, and or actions that project, anticipate, and create detailed alternative futures.create detailed alternative futures.

Leapfrogging the problem IILeapfrogging the problem II

Such changes also permit Such changes also permit Leapfrog Leapfrog BackwardBackward, or actions that project, , or actions that project, anticipate, and create anticipate, and create alternative alternative presentspresents that are suitable contexts for that are suitable contexts for selected youth futures.selected youth futures.

If no suitable presents are available, they If no suitable presents are available, they must be anticipated, virtually created, and must be anticipated, virtually created, and then concretized to make suitable contexts then concretized to make suitable contexts for selected youth futures.for selected youth futures.

Leapfrogging the problem IIILeapfrogging the problem III

Through Leapfrog Forward and Backward, Through Leapfrog Forward and Backward, alternative youth futures are placed in virtual time alternative youth futures are placed in virtual time for the purpose of making them part of selected, for the purpose of making them part of selected, alternative presents, where concrete actions can be alternative presents, where concrete actions can be undertaken.undertaken.

Leapfrog Forward and Leapfrog Backward, together Leapfrog Forward and Leapfrog Backward, together with the creation of suitable alternative presents, with the creation of suitable alternative presents, suspends alternative futures from clock time, suspends alternative futures from clock time, allowing them to become demystified new contexts allowing them to become demystified new contexts for school and youth service agency activities.for school and youth service agency activities.

Leapfrogging the problem IVLeapfrogging the problem IV

Leapfrog Forward, Leapfrog Backward, Leapfrog Forward, Leapfrog Backward, and alternative presents create: 1) options and alternative presents create: 1) options for youth to use their imaginations; 2) for youth to use their imaginations; 2) permission to use their ‘natural’ tendency permission to use their ‘natural’ tendency to create anticipatory knowledge; and 3) to create anticipatory knowledge; and 3) opportunities for both of these to mine opportunities for both of these to mine alternative futures to create new presents.alternative futures to create new presents.

The bottom line IThe bottom line I The study of the future now produces the study, The study of the future now produces the study,

creation, and actualization of alternative presents, creation, and actualization of alternative presents, a new product for futures research and a new product for futures research and development.development.

Youth can now work imaginatively in real and Youth can now work imaginatively in real and virtual worlds without suffering the incapacity of virtual worlds without suffering the incapacity of adults to actualize futures and to suspend clock adults to actualize futures and to suspend clock time for that purpose.time for that purpose.

Youth are now free to use their imaginations, and Youth are now free to use their imaginations, and to create anticipatory knowledge beyond to create anticipatory knowledge beyond conventional social and personal boundaries.conventional social and personal boundaries.

Youth are now free to develop, explore, and Youth are now free to develop, explore, and disseminate explicit anticipatory knowledge.disseminate explicit anticipatory knowledge.

The bottom line IIThe bottom line II

The civic and work forces now have millions of The civic and work forces now have millions of productive new members.productive new members.

Youth now have a seriously important new Youth now have a seriously important new complex of roles to play in forging new futures.complex of roles to play in forging new futures.

Schools now become interesting and worth their Schools now become interesting and worth their budgets. Youth service agencies set their sights budgets. Youth service agencies set their sights much higher.much higher.

Most adults now require reeducation and Most adults now require reeducation and retraining!retraining!

A reminder to conventional A reminder to conventional planners and literalists…planners and literalists…

No part of history or pre-history, or ‘the’ No part of history or pre-history, or ‘the’ present, is excluded from what we have present, is excluded from what we have proposed to bring youth into productive proposed to bring youth into productive relationships with civic and work forces.relationships with civic and work forces.

Schools and social service agencies can, Schools and social service agencies can, if they choose, make futuring the basic if they choose, make futuring the basic engine of their professional processes.engine of their professional processes.