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If there was ever a “VUCA” (volitile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) time – this would be it. The times we live in are historic and concerning. It is so important to revise our assumptions, expectations and methods – even as we lean into our ethics, values and principles during times of such dramatic uncertainty, discord and turbulence. To that end, I present my own collection of items gathered over the last couple of months that continue to inform, challenge and expand my thinking about the future(s) of social work. Hope you find them useful.
General Signals and Trends
Signals and trends are vital building blocks for foresight practice. Trends are observable and broad movements in society or the natural world, and signals are little glimmers that may or may not turn into a trend. (Note: Every big “trend” was once a little batch of signals few were paying attention to….foresight is about developing the discipline and art of noticing signals, collecting them and playing with/arranging them in creative and thought-provoking ways. )
The following are a group of publications I tend to scan regularly – inclusion in this list implies neither endorsement or beyond… The purpose of including them is to get a good sense of the changes in the landscape and prime one’s attention to notice what’s coming up over the horizon.
Academic Freedom Index This interactive map provides a comprehensive overview of academic freedom in 179 countries and territories in 2024. Based on assessment of the de facto protection of academic freedom as of December 2024, users can compare countries and investigate developments within countries over time.
2024 Edeleman Trust Barometer – Global Report. This is a global exploration of the issue of trust in society and government.
2025 Annual Threat Assessment (Public Version). Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
2025 – Global Risks Report – World Economic Forum
The State of Global Democracy Initiative – International IDEA launched the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Initiative in 2016. This Initiative provides evidence-based, balanced analysis and data on the state and quality of democracy for 173 countries across the world. It aims to contribute to the public debate on democracy and inform policy interventions to strengthen democracy. The Initiative’s primary knowledge products are the Democracy Tracker, the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Indices, and the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Reports. The Initiative also includes regional partnership networks and research and advocacy related to Sustainable Development Goal 16.
The Year in Hate and Extremism – 2024 – Southern Poverty Law Center’s annual report on the issue.
Ethics of AI – Bristol University Press 2025 (Open Access) – More content from author Rainer Muhlhoff.
Futures of Social Issues – this category relates to evolutions in existing social issues and/or emergence of new ones
The Future of Happiness – The Finland Formula
Will AI define us? Three possible futures for UX research.
Will the Humanities Survive Artificial Intelligence?
The uncanny valley of human connection: When digital networks breed loneliness. (Institute for the Future)
Welcome to the Hope Portal – OnBeing’s iniative to focus on the need for and future of hope as a force of well-being (personally and socially). They creatively put together a journal packet for those who want to participate in this effort in a more personal way. You can download here.
Let’s talk about Chat GPT-induced spiritual psychosis
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.
Why do America’s Workers Need Welfare? The Scandal No One Talks About – Hartman Report
HHS releases more detailed 2026 budget disclosing scope of cuts
OECD Launch of AI and the Future of Social Protection Seminar Series
OECD Megatrends and the Future of Social Protection
The Future of Connected Care: Enabling Healthy Longevity and Aging at Home – Milken Institute
The State of the World’s Children – 2024 – UNICEF
Digital Health and AI Action Collaborative – National Academy of Medicine. Promote digital tools and architecture innovation for seamless connectivity and learning, including accelerating the responsible development and application of AI and other emerging technologies for transformed health, health care, and biomedical science.
Universal Basic Income isn’t about free money – it’s about a freer life
A psychiatrist posed as a teen with therapy chatbots: The conversations were alarming.
The DSM now contains a new diagnosis of “prolonged grief.” Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Important implications for the future of the ways we think about grieving. Find our more here with this thoughtful dialogue.
Caregiving – new PBS documentary on the past, present and future of caregiving in society.
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.
Center for Constitutional Rights page on Criminalizing Dissent
All of Us – Recent dispatches from Deepa Iyer (founder of a variety of beautiful ways of understanding the many roles necessary for successful social movements). She is someone I ALWAYS stop to read.
Futures of Equity – this category specifically relates to the ways in which equity, diversity, inclusion and related topics are appearing, shifting and developing.
Constructing Access to Housing Justice for All (Initiative on AI and Housing) – Algorithmic Justice League
Futures of Professions – this category covers more general futures views of professions and how they are changing.
University students offload critical thinking, other hard work to AI – Hechinger Report
Future of Jobs Report 2025: 78 Million New Job Opportunities by 2030 but Urgent Upskilling Needed to Prepare Workforces – World Economic Forum
Library Foresight 2035: What if your next library wasn’t a place…but a rehearsal? (Great example of what it looks like when a profession embraces creative foresight methods to evolve on purpose.)
Resumes are dying – here’s what’s replacing them
A new headache for honest students: Proving they didn’t use AI
Foresight Tools/Games/Reports/Articles of Interest:
World Economic Forum’s Page on Foresight Terminology, Library of Methods and Metrics – useful and not exhaustive.
The Role of Storytelling in Systemic Change
After Capitalism by Andrew Hines – A Wake-Up Call for 21st Century Leaders
Exploring AI through cause-and-effect – A new online tool that uses cause-and-effect relationships to explore and better understand responsible AI development and use.
Breaking the Crisis Cycle: How Strategic Foresight is Transforming Civil Society Leadership – Institute for the Future
A Logic for the Future: International Relations in the Age of Turbulence – Stephen Heintz
Did you know there is an Institute for the Future YouTube Channel? There you can find a robust history of their recorded “Foresight Talks” with an incredible array of speakers on all manner of issues of the future. Worth a browse! The Journal of Futures Studies has one as well – you can view it here. Good and useful things!
Teaching the Future Report: Climate, Citizenship and Digital Teaching – Curriculum and Pedagogy Guidelines (You can learn more about the “Teach the Future” initiative here.)
Calls for Papers:
Threads of Hope: Ancestral Knowledges and Feminist Futures (Journal of Futures Studies)
Reimagining Clinical Social Work in the Age of AI – Journal of Technology in Human Services
Other:
In numerous places, I’ve seen “Citizen Science” being mentioned as an important and evolving area of the future of scientific research. This is a useful page for learning about what it is – and seeing examples/reports of what is happening in these spaces. (Editoral note: I think that social work is underutilizing this incredible set of ideas and resources.)
Anticipatory Social Work is OUT!!! Available for purchase from your local bookseller, the publisher or Amazon. Here’s my blog post about it from the last couple of weeks – see special discount code flyer!!
Social Work Futures 