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Anticipatory Governance in the Anthropocene: Opacity, Cybernetics, and Resilience
November 4th and 5th, 2024
Fulda University of Applied Sciences
Convenors:
Claudia Wiesner, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, claudia.wiesner@sk.hs-fulda.de
David Chandler, University of Westminster, UK, d.chandler@westmister.ac.uk
Pol Bargues, Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, pbargues@cidob.org
Anticipatory governance aims to prevent or limit problems and conflicts before they occur. However, in today’s world, traditional cause-and-effect approaches no longer work due to the complexity of crises, often referred to as the “polycrisis.” Governing in the Anthropocene requires systemic thinking that considers the interconnectedness of problems and the side-effects of policies.
This governance approach must go beyond compartmentalized solutions (e.g., healthcare or economics) and adopt networked, context-sensitive methods. The potential benefits are significant, but it’s challenging to implement because it requires adapting to ever-evolving crises rather than maintaining stability or returning to outdated norms.
Three key themes explored in anticipatory governance:
1. Opacity: Crises evoke different responses in different communities. Understanding these “black box” reactions is crucial.
2. Cybernetics: Theories on how to open up and understand these complex systems and their responses.
3. Resilience: Focuses on the inner workings of societies, emphasizing the capacity to adapt to external shocks rather than simply responding to crises.
Public Keynote lecture on Monday Nov 4th, 18:00.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Lemke, Goethe University Frankfurt:
Technologies of anticipation. Investigating practices of future-making in contemporary societies.
Please do send your abstract until August 18th, 2024 to
The workshop is fully funded for accepted papergivers, including travel and accommodation.