(I’m back!) Notes from the Future – April 21, 2025

After a hiatus which involved some big personal as well as professional transitions and developments (both heartbreaking and positive – I’ll offer another note on these topics soon), I’m back and plan to resume regular postings to share my ongoing scans and discoveries related to social work futures topics. Thank you to so many of you around the world who have kept in touch – and for your patience while I gradually move back into formation.

NOTE:  Inclusion on this list does not necessarily imply endorsement.  These are used as examples of shifting opinions/perspectives in the field as evidence of signal activity in the social work ecosystem.  This list is comprised of ongoing scans and occasional contributions from readers.  The categories specifically relate to the ways in which I’ve organized my own scans of the social work research and practice ecosystems in my forthcoming book “Anticipatory Social Work.” The purpose of a scan report of this kind is simply to drop information about some thought-provoking “signals’ of change that appear. The way to use them is to view them collectively, in combinations, with curiosity and with imagination. This means to explore what they mean as the intersect with known and unknown variables ahead. Given that the future will be most likely be comprised of rapid, non-linear intersecting issues – spending time with signals allows us to creatively and thoughtfully explore and compare notes about what we’re seeing, experiencing and sharing – and consider together how to build the futures we most want. How will these (and other) issues shape and intersect with the future of the social work profession?

Futures of Social Issues – this category relates to evolutions in existing social issues and/or emergence of new ones.

Trump’s first 100 days:  100 threats to human rights and how we’re fighting back (Amnesty International)

Megatrends and the future of social protection

Future of social impact:  What to watch for in 2025

Genetic discrimination is coming for us all 

Why grieving family went public with teen’s addiction to AI bot, which they blame for his suicide

To understand global migration, you have to see it first

Futures of Social Welfare – this category relates to the systems by which we care for one another. Includes information regarding social welfare policy primarily but may include other topics as well.

Government funding cuts put non-profits at risk across the nation

The future is collective:  Advancing collective social innovation to address society’s biggest challenges 

Medicaid:  What to watch in 2025 (Kaiser Family Foundation)

Putting $880 Billion in Potential Medicaid Cuts in Context of State Budgets and Coverage

State of US Tarrifs (Yale)

Non-profit trends 2025

Futures of Social Movements – this category is related to the ways we organize, voice positions, and endeavor to create more justice in our shared world.

Introduction to special issue (Social Movement Studies journal):  Foregrounding social movement futures:  Collective action, imagination and methodology

General strike information/website

Global trends: Future of public activism

Imagination and social movements 

Futures of Equity – this category specifically relates to the ways in which equity, diversity, inclusion and related topics are appearing, shifting and developing.

Under pressure, psychology accreditation board suspends diversity standards

Trump ravaged DEI, what’s next?  (HR perspective)

What you should know about the right to protection in the Trump era

The targeted chaos of Trump’s attacks on international human rights law and justice

Futures of Professions – this category covers more general futures views of professions and how they are changing.

Future of professionals report 2024:  An executive summary for the legal profession 

Future of professionals report 2024 (General)

The law firm of the future is more human

The legal profession in 2024:   AI (Harvard)

America’s brightest minds will walk away

Foresight Tools/Games/Reports/Articles of Interest

Polycrisis Exploration Workshop and Toolkit – European Union

Ketonen-Oksi, S. & Vigren, M. (2024). Methods to imagine transformative futures. An integrative literature review. Futures, 157.

Steel, et al, (2024). A forward-looking approach to climate change and the risk of societal collapse. Futures, 158.

Other:  

Evidence-based social science:  What, why and future implications

Special note: My book (written over the last four years) called “Anticipatory Social Work” is almost ready to be published. I’ll put a special post up about it soon – but if you want a peek at the pre-order page – it is now available! Thank you to so many who have been part of this journey. Here’s what folks are saying about it so far!