‘Future workshops’ were developed by Austrian writer, journalist, historian and peace campaigner Robert Jungk. They offer spaces for citizens to engage in critical interrogation, creative forward-looking planning, and realisation of alternative solutions to ‘matters of concern’ (Latour). Future workshops have been used in community development, political campaigns (e.g., nuclear disarmament), urban planning, and other areas since the 1960s. Following a short introduction of Future Workshops, the webinar focuses on the potential of Future Workshops as Participatory Action Research element in the methodology of Engaged Research initiatives.
Mathias Urban, PhD, is Desmond Chair of Early Childhood Education, and Director of the Early Childhood Research Centre (ECRC) at Dublin City University, Ireland, Professor (II) of Pedagogy at the University of Stavanger, Norway, and Affiliate Professor and Fellow at EDPolicyFORWARD: The Center for Educational Policy at George Mason University, USA. He works on questions of integrated early childhood systems, diversity and equality, social justice, and professionalism in diverse socio-cultural contexts. Mathias has over 20 years’ experience in designing and leading international collaborative research projects. He was awarded the ‘Marianne Bloch Distinguished Career Award’ by the international Reconceptualising Early Childhood Education network in 2018, and the DCU President’s Research Impact Award 2020. Mathias is the lead author of the 2018 (Argentina), 2019 (Japan), 2020 (Saudi Arabia), 2021 (Italy) and 2022 (Indonesia) G20/T20 early childhood development, education and care policy briefs, and a member of the European Commission expert working group on Early Childhood Education and Care.