ESRC Centre for Sociodigital Futures
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Sociology
Abstract
Digital technologies, devices and data are now woven into the fabric of contemporary societies. To describe this, we can say that we live in a 'sociodigital' world. This has become especially visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which we have seen rapid shifts to online education, healthcare and work, the extension of algorithmic decision making by government (e.g. A' Level results), and changes to shopping habits that may transform the high street for ever.
Social Science provides excellent resources for understanding the changes that have taken place to date. The question remains: what will our sociodigital futures look like? What kinds of futures are in the making? Who or what is shaping possible futures and what will this mean for currently widening social and economic inequalities and for the climate change crisis? These are challenging questions. We know, from the past, that we cannot make deterministic assumptions about new technologies or predict sociodigital futures with any certainty. However, this does not mean that we should abandon attention to the future. To the contrary, the stakes have never been higher. With a global recession looming, widening socio-economic inequalities and an underlying climate crisis, it is essential that we establish a new approach, one that will create actionable knowledge for reflexive, inclusive and sustainable sociodigital futures.
The ESRC Centre for Sociodigital Futures begins from the premise that while the future is unknowable, how the future is enacted in the present - discursively, materially and by whom - matters enormously. This shifts the focus of attention towards the social relations of future making in the present: what claims are made about sociodigital futures, how do these drive investments, policies and expectations? What futures do these open up, and close down? And which of these start to shape 'actual futures', through the changing practices of communities, businesses, policy makers and others? Answering these questions presents an ambitious agenda, and a unique proposition for UK and international Social Science. To address this agenda we will deliver a distinctive programme of high impact empirical research and capacity building, by drawing together four distinct forms of expertise: (i) expertise in specific domains of everyday life - caring, consuming, learning, moving and organizing; (ii) expertise in the theories, methodologies and practices of future making; (iii) technical expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Virtual/Alternative Realities, Robotics and High Performance Networks; and (iv) co-production expertise to drive participatory, inclusive and sustainable future-making.
The Centre has been designed and will be implemented with strategic partners well-placed to deliver on the creation of inclusive and sustainable sociodigital futures. Our partners have a significant influence on the environment (UK Department for Farming, Environment and Rural Affairs), digital service delivery (British Telecom -serving 170 countries), security (the National Cybersecurity Centre), community (Locality - 1300 members support 307,000+ people/week), education and culture (the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization - supporting peace through international cooperation, and leaders of the UN Foresight Network). Working with these partners, we will build the capacity to engage with sociodigital futures-in-the-making, to anticipate possible risks and opportunities, and tip the balance towards more positive futures.
Social Science provides excellent resources for understanding the changes that have taken place to date. The question remains: what will our sociodigital futures look like? What kinds of futures are in the making? Who or what is shaping possible futures and what will this mean for currently widening social and economic inequalities and for the climate change crisis? These are challenging questions. We know, from the past, that we cannot make deterministic assumptions about new technologies or predict sociodigital futures with any certainty. However, this does not mean that we should abandon attention to the future. To the contrary, the stakes have never been higher. With a global recession looming, widening socio-economic inequalities and an underlying climate crisis, it is essential that we establish a new approach, one that will create actionable knowledge for reflexive, inclusive and sustainable sociodigital futures.
The ESRC Centre for Sociodigital Futures begins from the premise that while the future is unknowable, how the future is enacted in the present - discursively, materially and by whom - matters enormously. This shifts the focus of attention towards the social relations of future making in the present: what claims are made about sociodigital futures, how do these drive investments, policies and expectations? What futures do these open up, and close down? And which of these start to shape 'actual futures', through the changing practices of communities, businesses, policy makers and others? Answering these questions presents an ambitious agenda, and a unique proposition for UK and international Social Science. To address this agenda we will deliver a distinctive programme of high impact empirical research and capacity building, by drawing together four distinct forms of expertise: (i) expertise in specific domains of everyday life - caring, consuming, learning, moving and organizing; (ii) expertise in the theories, methodologies and practices of future making; (iii) technical expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Virtual/Alternative Realities, Robotics and High Performance Networks; and (iv) co-production expertise to drive participatory, inclusive and sustainable future-making.
The Centre has been designed and will be implemented with strategic partners well-placed to deliver on the creation of inclusive and sustainable sociodigital futures. Our partners have a significant influence on the environment (UK Department for Farming, Environment and Rural Affairs), digital service delivery (British Telecom -serving 170 countries), security (the National Cybersecurity Centre), community (Locality - 1300 members support 307,000+ people/week), education and culture (the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization - supporting peace through international cooperation, and leaders of the UN Foresight Network). Working with these partners, we will build the capacity to engage with sociodigital futures-in-the-making, to anticipate possible risks and opportunities, and tip the balance towards more positive futures.
Organisations
- University of Bristol (Lead Research Organisation)
- BT Group (Collaboration)
- National Cyber Security Centre (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (Collaboration)
- Oslo Metropolitan University (Collaboration)
- University of Naples (Collaboration)
- Locality (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Defra Bristol (Project Partner)
- Supermassive Games (Project Partner)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Project Partner)
- BT Group (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Maybe Solutions Ltd (Project Partner)
Publications
Evans D
(2023)
Money, Debt and Finance: Reclaiming the Conditions of Possibility in Consumption Research
in Sociology
Facer K
(2023)
Possibility and the temporal imagination
in Possibility Studies & Society
Facer K
(2023)
Haste - The slow politics of climate urgency
Halford S
(2023)
What Future for the Sociology of Futures? Visions, Concepts and Methods
in Sociology
Huw Davies
(2022)
Education Data Futures: Critical Regulatory and Practical Reflections
Keri Facer
(2022)
The University and the Social Imagination
Mainsah H
(2022)
Methodological innovations and challenges of research on digitally connected homes: an introduction
in Digital Creativity
McQuillan D
(2022)
Resisting AI - An Anti-fascist Approach to Artificial Intelligence
| Title | Billennium: An augmented reality guided tour of the future of your place (Paul Clarke, CenSoF Co-I) |
| Description | An augmented reality guided tour of the future of your place. Accompanied by archaeologists of the future, you walk through time carrying mobile devices that interpret and visualise traces of what's to come. The tour concludes with an opportunity to design tomorrow's city together and see the buildings you imagine layered onto the architecture of today using AR. 1. 3 x daily, 2-4 June 2022, PLACCC Festival-, Budapest, in Hungarian, with 1 sign-language; 4 x daily, 8-11 June 2022 2. International Theatre Days, Student's Cultural Centre, Belgrade, with performances in Serbian, English and signed (115 attendees watched 14 performances for four days) Both part of Performing Futures funded by Perform Europe/Creative Europe (€92,000). An app version is also being developed for Budapest. Audience evaluation was collated and reports were written by local reporters/journalists in each city. |
| Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | Part of Performing Futures, a Perform Europe/Creative Europe-funded project that aimed to rethink cross-border performing arts presentation in a more inclusive, sustainable and balanced way. Billennium specifically explored deeper ways of engaging local communities with touring work by presenting outside traditional arts spaces in people's neighbourhoods and by showing work co-created with and for them that is specifically about their places' pasts and futures. A story was published (https://padlet.com/PerformEurope/perform-europe-stories-3w6o95vsglagjyey/wish/2128552853), a report was written on the activity, including a local narrative report and audience evaluation, which fed into Perform Europe's Research Results, which are published here: https://performeurope.eu/resources. This summarises key findings, identifies current issues and disparities in the European system of performing arts touring and presentation, and indicates solutions involving digital technologies (such as Billennium's site-specific Augmented Reality approach) for bringing change. Developing this creative product also initiated partnerships with European partners some of which will continue and have the potential to lead to further collaboration (e.g. with Ikuseearte, Brussels/Bilbao and Interactive Arts Laboratory, Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. Audience feedback gathered attests to impact of experience on public, e.g. "A refreshing experience that makes you want to take action" (Haizea, 13 years), "Superbly mind-blowing future simulator" (Ainhoa, 45), "I felt like a part of a different reality" (Mina, 33), "Must see! It's funny and makes you think about the possibilities for humanity" (Ljubinka, 44), "I was transported to this amazing world in an instant" (Balázs, 35), "Brave use of technology. Wonderful! Thanks a lot!" Video documenting Performing Futures project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B8gSgx7wAM See also documentation of Billennium: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foisusVuxP8&list=PLCNzcD-lYfIPvmYl_HQPTaSzDCEV8o641?dex=2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mAi7f8laJY&list=PLCNzcD-lYfIPvmYl_HQPTaSzDCEV8o641?dex=4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKub83CF7W4&list=PLCNzcD-lYfIPvmYl_HQPTaSzDCEV8o641?dex=3 https://placcc.hu/en/uninvited-guests-uk-billennium-2/ https://www.dksg.rs/lat/billennium-2-clone-3-clone/ |
| URL | https://vimeo.com/758736848 |
| Title | Future Soundings (Paul Clarke, CenSoF Co-I) |
| Description | Future Soundings develops an approach to reflecting on the present through the lens of the future. It is part workshop and part performance. As you take a walk through your city an app on your phone prompts you to imagine travelling through time. It asks you to describe what you might see and hear in the places you pass. When you return, a science-fiction story, made collectively from the futures that you and other participants imagine, is performed live with an improvised soundtrack. Performed/facilitated at PLACCC Festival, Budapest (1/5/22); at Faculty of Dramatic Arts, Belgrade, (5/5/2022); At Watershed's PM Studio Annual Gathering, Bristol, 2022, and for Hopeful Futures, the concluding Bristol+Bath Creative R+D events at Bath Spa, Locksbrook Campus, 10th and Watershed 11th November 2022. Each workshop was for 20-25 participants with additional audience of on average 50 joining for the concluding performance. |
| Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | Positive responses from participating public, programmers, educators, researchers and programmers/presenters has led to plans for future related activity, invitations to present again, and requests for information, e.g. upcoming presentation for Centre for Sociodigital Futures, invitation to present at Bristol Ideas Festival of the Future City, October 2023, requests for info from Defra Policy Lab about presenting as part of Water Post 2043 project, STEAR or Student Think Tank for Europe-Asia Relations, and the School of Humanity, whose Community Manager wrote, "Your Uninvited Guests' workshop really stood out - both myself and the learners loved the futuristic, yet introspective elements of the activity. Because our curriculum at School of Humanity is interdisciplinary and future-focused, we felt the workshop really aligned with our ethos as a school, and it sparked a lot of interesting conversations between our learners we are hoping to set up a learning hub in Bristol, and so are excited to connect with progressive organizations working in the creative technology space based in Bristol... The learners (and myself!) loved the workshop Paul delivered and were wowed by the soundscape afterwards. We'd love to connect to learn more about Uninvited Guests, and to discuss potential ways we could collaborate". Video documentation of performance Watershed, Bristol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u5H8D-CDh8 Documentation of Bath version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mAF5Dqjqxo&t=4s |
| URL | https://www.uninvited-guests.net/projects/future-soundings |
| Title | To Those Born Later (International Collection), interactive time capsule performance (Paul Clarke, CenSoF Co-I) |
| Description | To Those Born Later (International Collection) is an interactive online event, which brings together groups from different countries to discuss what should go into a time capsule to be opened in 150 years. What do you want to save for our children's children's children's children? What do you want to pass down to future inhabitants of the world? Hosted online by partners in Budapest (May 2022, PLACCC Festival) and Belgrade (International Theatre Days, Student's Cultural Centre, 5/6/22). |
| Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | Part of Performing Futures, a Perform Europe/Creative Europe-funded project that aimed to rethink cross-border performing arts presentation in a more inclusive, sustainable and balanced way. To Those Born Later specifically explored ways of engaging local audiences without travelling and whether meaningful exchanges could be generated between public participants in these European contexts. A story was published (https://padlet.com/PerformEurope/perform-europe-stories-3w6o95vsglagjyey/wish/2128552853), a report was written on the activity, including a local narrative report and audience evaluation, which fed into Perform Europe's Research Results, which are published here, https://performeurope.eu/resources. This summarises key findings, identifies current issues and disparities in the European system of performing arts touring and presentation, and indicates solutions (such as To Those Born Later's online approach) for bringing change. Developing this creative product also initiated partnerships with European presenters some of which will continue and have the potential to lead to further collaboration. https://www.uninvited-guests.net/projects/billennium |
| URL | https://fueltheatre.com/projects/to-those-born-later/ |
| Description | (Harry Pitts, Co-I) Work with the UK Political Party on cybersecurity jobs and skills and modern industrial policy |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | 1. Enhance the skills and knowledge of staff and doctoral researchers at the University of Bristol (UoB); 2. Catalyse and embed long-term exchange and mutual learning between UoB and The New School for Social Research in NY (Bridget Anderson PI) |
| Amount | £40,982 (GBP) |
| Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2023 |
| End | 06/2024 |
| Description | Funding to pursue a research programme on digital societies in collaboration with CenSoF colleagues (Dale Southerton PI) The research programme integrates a book project (Digitial Fates; working title) with ongoing research at the Centre |
| Amount | £2,300 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2023 |
| End | 11/2023 |
| Description | RepairEd: Reparative Futures of Education which will look at identifying and redressing educational injustices (Arathi Sriprakash PI) |
| Amount | € 1,999,544 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 101087600 |
| Organisation | European Research Council (ERC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 01/2024 |
| End | 12/2028 |
| Description | Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security (Genevieve Liveley PI) |
| Amount | £1,240,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | National Cyber Security Centre |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2022 |
| End | 09/2027 |
| Description | Review of Smart City Futures, with a particular focus on Ukraine and Eastern Europe (Chris Preist PI) |
| Amount | £9,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | The Times of Just Transitions: Towards a pluriversal politics of time, justice and sustainability (Keri Facer PI) |
| Amount | £1,600,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | GCPS2\100005 |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 12/2025 |
| Description | To fund AskingBristol project (Martin Parker PI) |
| Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2022 |
| Description | CenSoF/BT Strategic Partnership |
| Organisation | BT Group |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Organizing regular meetings with key contacts at BT to develop ongoing programme of collaboration. CenSoF presentation of core research programme to Senior leadership and researchers at BT, across Technical and Social Research Teams and the BT Archive. Four CenSoF CIs (Halford, Southerton, Hussain, Pitts) joined a 2-day research visit to Adastral Park & BT Archives in London (October 2022).. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Regular meetings with CenSoF to develop develop ongoing programme of collaborative research; hosting CenSoF team at Adastral Park and BT Archive; convening meetings across BT, with the BT Showcase team and BT Archive; half-day introduction for CenSoF to the BT Archive. |
| Impact | 1: Development of BT Showcase project; 2: Development of BT Archives project. 3: Development of BT Workforce project; 4: BT/CenSoF workshop to discuss ethical implications of ChatGPT These will be multi-disciplinary, involving contributions from multiple social science disciplines, engineering disciplines and humanities scholars |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | CenSoF/Defra Strategic Partnership |
| Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Regular meetings with key contact at Defra to develop ongoing programme of collaboration and discuss collaborations with the Centre. Joint working on a 'Centre For Sociodigital Futures Policy Impact Engagement' proposal noted elsewhere. In addition, Keri Facer acted as advisor to DEFRA on Participatory Futures and More than Human consultation activities. Participated in meeting, provided ongoing advice, suggested contributors. Led to funding call from DEFRA |
| Collaborator Contribution | Regular meetings with CenSoF to develop ongoing programme of collaborative research. Defra participation in introductory CenSoF workshops (Autumn 2022). Joint development of research on CenSoF/Defra collaboration and impact ('Centre For Sociodigital Futures Policy Impact Engagement') project noted elsewhere |
| Impact | Submission of a 'Centre For Sociodigital Futures Policy Impact Engagement' proposal with Defra colleagues to explore Policy Impact Engagement. This proposal was successful and is funded through the Research England Policy Support Fund (PSF); see further funding Researchfish entry for further information. Testimony from Phil Tovey (Defra) as follows: Exposure to an extremely wide range of excellent academics which has (a) stimulated deeper, more critical, thinking on sociodigital futures with environmental policy contexts (notedly water policy, whereby research from CenSoF/CenSoF facilitated activity has directly shaped prototypes for future water governance); (b) brought attention to and make connections with research that can support policymaking (e.g., transition/liminal space between virtual and physical world when, for instances, using immersive digital twins); (c) began to shape future joint/co-produced projects between CenSoF and Defra Science. Facilitated an expansion (beyond the centre) into meaningful networks of leading UK and International research (e.g., temporalities of just transition) Brought Defra Futures closer to other strategic partners, including other government departments/agencies to facilitate progressive, cross-cutting research agendas to support x-government policy making. Provided an excellent (best in class) hybrid learning and development offer/opportunity. Sessions are always well structured, highly engaging and pushing boundaries in the sociodigital space. Supporting countless pieces of consultancy/advice which has feed into active work within the departments (e.g., developing AI procurement evaluation criteria) --- In addition, Facer's advisory role led led to a funding call from DEFRA |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | CenSoF/Locality Strategic Partnership |
| Organisation | Locality |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Regular meetings with Locality to develop ongoing programme of collaboration. CenSoF presentation of core research programme to Senior leadership; Centre researchers attended and co-organized a session at the Locality Convention in November 2022 (see engagement activities), to further enhance and deepen collaborations with Locality and Locality partner organisations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Regular meetings with CenSoF to develop ongoing develop ongoing programme of collaborative research.. Locality have been active participants in our CenSoF programme of activities and welcomed CenSoF colleagues to their Locality convention in November 2022, in order to further strengthen the reach and depth of the partnership. |
| Impact | See engagement activities for further information of the Locality convention. Collaborative discussions to date are informing planning for a CenSoF/Locality workshop in April 2023 to shape future joint working and projects. These will be multi-disciplinary, involving contributions from multiple social science disciplines, engineering disciplines and humanities scholars |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | CenSoF/NCSC Strategic Partnership |
| Organisation | National Cyber Security Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Regular meetings with key contacts at NCSC to develop ongoing programme of collaboration. CenSoF colleagues have led introductory workshops with NCSC (December 2022; March 2023) to build our programme of collaborative research. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Regular meetings with CenSoF to develop ongoing programme of collaborative research. NCSC have been active participants in our CenSoF programme of activities and took part in workshops with NCSC (December 2022, March 2023) |
| Impact | Testimony from NCSC "NCSC's attendance at the CenSof workshops has contributed to strengthening the futures capability within the Sociotechnical and Risk Group (StRG), directly impacting a number of our research themes. In particular, the workshop on temporalities helped inform our thinking on how different organisational temporalities shape futures orientated activities in the NCSC. Through sharing details of this engagement more widely across the organisation, we have arranged for other teams with a futures focus to their work to attend CenSof workshops" |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Collaborations between CenSoF/OsloMet (International partner) with the objective of facilitating: research, exchanges of ideas, staff and data and the development of collaborative research projects. |
| Organisation | Oslo Metropolitan University |
| Country | Norway |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | CenSoF hosted a visit of several scholars from OsloMet to the Centre in autumn 2022 Dale Southerton (Co-I) visited OsloMet University in November 2022. He attended meetings and gave a keynote speech for the launch of a new PhD Programme called Innovation for Sustainability at a two-day workshop at OsloMet University. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Several OSLOMet colleagues visited the Centre in October 2022. Colleagues contributed to meetings and led a series of seminars for CenSoF colleagues |
| Impact | Led to return trip to Oslo in March 2023 involving a bigger team of CenSoF colleagues, therefore deepening collaboration potential. This will be followed by a visit from SIFO colleagues to the Centre in June 2023. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Collaborations between CenSoF/University of Naples Federico II (International partner) with the objective of facilitating: research, exchanges of ideas, staff and data and the development of collaborative research projects. |
| Organisation | University of Naples |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | CenSoF has hosted two PhD students from UNiNa (5 weeks and 5 months). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Two PhD students have visited from UNiNa (5 weeks and 5 months). |
| Impact | TBC |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Asking Bristol (Webinar): Social Infrastructure and City Systems (Martin Parker) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Schumacher Institute Webinar, Asking Bristol about Social Infrastructure and City Systems |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | BLOG: Digital home working and its sustainability potential: human immobility and the mobilities of stuff (Preist and Southerton) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Digital home working and its sustainability potential: human immobility and the mobilities of stuff was a blog written for broad audience as part of a Special series on Migration, Mobilities and the Environment, in association with the Cabot Institute for the Environment and Migration, Mobilities Bristol. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://migration.bristol.ac.uk/2022/05/24/digital-home-working-and-its-sustainability-potential-hum... |
| Description | Building futures with immersive technologies podcast episode - Dr Paul Clarke |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr Paul Clarke did a University of Bristol Research Frontiers Podcast to promote the Immersive Technologies MA/MSc and developing skills in/applications of immersive technologies titled 'Building futures with immersive technologies'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://bristol.ac.uk/study/research-frontiers/ |
| Description | Dan McQuillan cited as expert in Press Release: AI experts question tech industry's ethical commitments |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Summery content from article as follows: The massive proliferation of ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence has done little to change how the technology is developed and deployed, with experts questioning the tech industry's commitment to making it a positive social force. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/AI-experts-question-tech-industrys-ethical-commitments |
| Description | Explore sessions for Y12 students from groups under represented in Higher Education (3 separate days) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Part of a programme of activity designed to enthuse and engage local Y12 students from under represented groups in Higher Education with Arts and Engineering. Attendees could view a variety of VR pieces including the brand new Virtual Reality Oracle as well as other VR experiences and we talked to them about immersive technologies and their many and varied current applications areas, as well as discussing future technological advancements. Across the three days we engaged with c300 students. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.myworld-creates.com/myworlds-explore-workshop/ |
| Description | FUTURES 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We set up a pop-up exhibition at FUTURES 2022 at the S.S. Great Britain in September 2022, a free festival of discovery for all ages to celebrate research and innovation taking place across the South West. Visitors to the stand were able to use VR headsets to access a range of content including the newly released Virtual Reality Oracle. It was a great opportunity to talk to the general public about immersive technologies including ethical considerations and future applications of Virtual and Augmented Reality. Many interesting conversations took place. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Future Places Toolkit (demonstrator): Augmented Reality Engagement Activity (Paul Clarke, Co-I). |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Future Places Toolkit is a collaboration between Paul Clarke's (CenSoF Co-I) company Uninvited Guests, Duncan Speakman, Sam Steer (live illustrator), Luca Biada and Michele Pannegrossi (initial software design), and Zubr (further app development and implementation). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVxTjcMNJd4 The Augmented Reality (AR) engagement activity for neighbourhood visioning and participatory planning consultation explores ways in which performance, science fiction storytelling and AR can inspire people to imagine preferred futures for their places and build communities' capacity to anticipate. Clarke et al have been working with Filwood Broadway Working Group and Bristol City Council as part of a consultation process around improvements to Filwood Broadway in Knowle West. This was also supported by Knowle West Media Centre and Filwood Community Centre. The engagement activity ran 4 times during Knowle West Fest on 1st October 2022, engaging residents of all ages, including the local Youth Council. This was also attended by Tim Temple from CenSoF strategic partner Locality. Filwood Broadway was recently awarded £14.5m from the Levelling-Up Fund for regeneration. The intended purpose was to feed into decision-making around improvements to this high street in Knowle West and to engage a wider range of people with the planning consultation: https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2023-02-12/millions-to-be-spent-transforming-rundown-high-street-in-bristol Chris Brodie of Bristol City Council wrote that: "The AR workshops and annotated sketches that came out of them have been a really valuable part the community design process and have contributed to some of the proposals going forward. The workshop with children from the local youth council, was particularly enlightening. The combination of the technology, that allowed them to bring their ideas to life instantly, and the accompanying storytelling kept the children highly engaged throughout the session. Seeing their ideas appear in the real space of the street helped them come up with concrete proposals rather than just of list of things that would be nice to have. For example, once they could see play equipment appear on the green space, they realised it would work better to swap it to the other side. This, in part, influenced the decision to move the play area away from the east of the green to the quieter west side. The co-design process with the community is ongoing. Once we have a developed scheme that we want to promote more widely it would be great if you would consider coming back again to help people imagine it." In addition to Bristol City Council, since demonstrating the activity on Filwood Broadway, we have had requests for information and arranged meetings with Action Greater Bedminster / Bedminster BID, the Bristol Temple Quarter Regeneration Project, and creative consultation company Play:Disrupt about using the activity to support engagement as part of their ongoing community consultations. Malcolm Hamilton of Play:Disrupt wrote: "Future Places Toolkit gives people a way to engage with and visualise potential changes in a place, in a way that is currently not available. For clients or local authorities, it creates a unique and different output. It enables people to feel part of co-creating a place together, which in turn creates longer term trust. Being able to experience what your ideas look and feel like in a hands-on way in the place itself is powerful. The toolkit is an exciting offer for communities and stakeholders." As part of CenSoF, plans have also been made to run Future Places Toolkit at Birmingham Settlement's 'Neighbourhood Futures Festival'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.uninvited-guests.net/projects/future-places-toolkit |
| Description | Locality Conference workshop (Helen Manchester & Morag McDermont) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Made links with several Locality member organisations across the UK. Positive social media follow ups and connections. Also to note: CenSoF Future Places Toolkit and documentation of its application on Filwood Broadway was included in this presentation to Locality member organisations (see separate engagement activity entry relating to Future Places Toolkit) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Methodspace Blog: Anticipating our ageing futures through speculative fiction: Utopian and dystopian stories as loci for interdisciplinary collaboration (Helen Manchester) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Anticipating our ageing futures through speculative fiction: Utopian and dystopian stories as loci for interdisciplinary collaboration. Blog article reporting on our experiences of running speculative fiction workshop with academics across disciplines |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.methodspace.com/blog/anticipating-our-ageing-futures-through-speculative-fiction-utopian... |
| Description | Plenary panel speaker (Keri Facer). Futures of Higher Education. World Higher Education conference- UNESCO, Barcelona |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Plenary panel speaker on Futures of Higher Education. To attendees at the World Higher Education conference- UNESCO, Barcelona |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.unesco.org/en/higher-education/2022-world-conference |
| Description | Post-EdTech Futures. NORRAG Digitalization of Education blog series (Ben Williamson Author) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Educational technologies are often presumed to be central to the future of education. In this blog post, part of our series on the digitalisation of education, Ben Williamson explores how visions of EdTech's future are imagined, shared, and made to seem consensual. This blog aims to share under-represented and innovative ideas on the role and futures of digital technologies in education. Inviting contributions in response to the blog, or in reply to our 2022 publication Policy Insights: The Digitalisation of Education. For more details, please see our call for contributions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.norrag.org/post-edtech-futures/ |
| Description | Talk by Zillah Watson on What makes impactful VR content for non gamers? Nov 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Zillah Watson gave a very insightful talk about VR to a very engaged audience comprising students, academics and professional practitioners from Bristol and the surrounding area. It was very well received with lots of discussion in the Q and A which followed the talk. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | The Future of Futures; the next 10 years (Keri Facer) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Workshop of 60 participants exploring future direction for Futures Studies, held at the School of Advanced Study, London |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Work experience sessions for Y10 students from under represented groups in Higher Education July 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Work experience sessions on Immersive Technologies were delivered to students as part of a Work Experience week. The students were able to get hands-on with virtual reality headsets experiencing the immersive world and engage in workshop activities that looked at the ethical considerations of future immersive technologies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.myworld-creates.com/skills-training-work-experience-activities/ |