History, Purposes, Knowledge: Human Science for a New Era : History Purposes, and Knowledge: 1 (Foundations of Futures Studies: Human Science for a New Era) - Hardcover

Bell, Wendell

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1560002719 ISBN 13: 9781560002710

Publisher: Transaction Publishers, 1996

Synopsis

Futures studies is a new field of inquiry involving systematic and explicit thinking about alternative futures. It aims to demystify the future, make possibilities for the future more known to us, and increase human control over the future. Author Wendell Bell brings together futurist intellectual tools, describing and explaining not only the methods, but also the nature, concepts, theories, and exemplars of the field. Now available in paperback with a new preface from the author, Foundations of Future Studies is the fundamental work on the subject. Bell illustrates how this sphere of intellectual activity offers hope for the future of humanity and concrete ways of realizing that hope in the real world of everyday life. His book will appeal to all interested in futures studies, sociology, economics, political science, and history.

About this title

Review

-Foundations of Futures Studies represents the finest thinking in the field, as both an original work and a synthesis of existing work.... Destined to become a classic.- --Claire W. Gilbert, editor and publisher, Blazing Tattles -Arguably the most definitive study ever done of the future studies field and a must read for futurists who want a holistic grasp of it.- --William C. Johnson, Futurics -Bell has poured all his knowledge and experience into it, which is no mean matter, and has created a work that is profound, extensive and filled with elements for reflection.- --Papers de Prospectiva (Spain) -A must read for almost everyone within the social sciences.- --Choice -This book is a milestone in the development of the futures field... an ambitious attempt to capture what we know about the study of the future--Bell's version of Francis Bacon's Novum Organum.- --Peter C. Bishop, Technological Forecasting and Social Change -This is a great book, representing a great achievement by Professor Bell. It creates an important plateau upon which the field of future studies can achieve new heights.- --Gary Gappert, director, Institute for Future Studies, University of Akron -This book is a masterpiece! It makes an extraordinary contribution to studies of the future. . . . Bell has produced an incredibly fresh, careful, solidly detailed book that will serve as a landmark in the field for many years to come.- --Allen Tough, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto -Wendell Bell has produced a stunning tour de force which should convince even the most obstinate detractor that futures studies is a worthy academic field which deserves respect and support. . . . [It] well documents most of the important facets, history, issues, trends, persons, and institutions in the futures field.- --James A. Dator, Director, Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa -Nobody . . . knows more about what practitioners prefer to call 'futures research' than Wendell Bell. . . . His peers are already praising Foundations as futurist classic.- --Geroge Magazine "Foundations of Futures Studies represents the finest thinking in the field, as both an original work and a synthesis of existing work.... Destined to become a classic." --Claire W. Gilbert, editor and publisher, Blazing Tattles "Arguably the most definitive study ever done of the future studies field and a must read for futurists who want a holistic grasp of it." --William C. Johnson, Futurics "Bell has poured all his knowledge and experience into it, which is no mean matter, and has created a work that is profound, extensive and filled with elements for reflection." --Papers de Prospectiva (Spain) "A must read for almost everyone within the social sciences." --Choice "This book is a milestone in the development of the futures field... an ambitious attempt to capture what we know about the study of the future--Bell's version of Francis Bacon's Novum Organum." --Peter C. Bishop, Technological Forecasting and Social Change "This is a great book, representing a great achievement by Professor Bell. It creates an important plateau upon which the field of future studies can achieve new heights." --Gary Gappert, director, Institute for Future Studies, University of Akron "This book is a masterpiece! It makes an extraordinary contribution to studies of the future. . . . Bell has produced an incredibly fresh, careful, solidly detailed book that will serve as a landmark in the field for many years to come." --Allen Tough, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto "Wendell Bell has produced a stunning tour de force which should convince even the most obstinate detractor that futures studies is a worthy academic field which deserves respect and support. . . . [It] well documents most of the important facets, history, issues, trends, persons, and institutions in the futures field." --James A. Dator, Director, Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa "Nobody . . . knows more about what practitioners prefer to call 'futures research' than Wendell Bell. . . . His peers are already praising Foundations as futurist classic." --Geroge Magazine "Foundations of Futures Studies represents the finest thinking in the field, as both an original work and a synthesis of existing work.... Destined to become a classic." --Claire W. Gilbert, editor and publisher, Blazing Tattles "Arguably the most definitive study ever done of the future studies field and a must read for futurists who want a holistic grasp of it." --William C. Johnson, Futurics "Bell has poured all his knowledge and experience into it, which is no mean matter, and has created a work that is profound, extensive and filled with elements for reflection." --Papers de Prospectiva (Spain) "A must read for almost everyone within the social sciences." --Choice "This book is a milestone in the development of the futures field... an ambitious attempt to capture what we know about the study of the future--Bell's version of Francis Bacon's Novum Organum." --Peter C. Bishop, Technological Forecasting and Social Change "This is a great book, representing a great achievement by Professor Bell. It creates an important plateau upon which the field of future studies can achieve new heights." --Gary Gappert, director, Institute for Future Studies, University of Akron "This book is a masterpiece! It makes an extraordinary contribution to studies of the future. . . . Bell has produced an incredibly fresh, careful, solidly detailed book that will serve as a landmark in the field for many years to come." --Allen Tough, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto "Wendell Bell has produced a stunning tour de force which should convince even the most obstinate detractor that futures studies is a worthy academic field which deserves respect and support. . . . [It] well documents most of the important facets, history, issues, trends, persons, and institutions in the futures field." --James A. Dator, Director, Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa "Nobody . . . knows more about what practitioners prefer to call 'futures research' than Wendell Bell. . . . His peers are already praising Foundations as futurist classic." --Geroge Magazine ""Foundations of Futures Studies" represents the finest thinking in the field, as both an original work and a synthesis of existing work.... Destined to become a classic." --Claire W. Gilbert, editor and publisher, "Blazing Tattles" "Arguably the most definitive study ever done of the future studies field and a must read for futurists who want a holistic grasp of it." --William C. Johnson, "Futurics" "Bell has poured all his knowledge and experience into it, which is no mean matter, and has created a work that is profound, extensive and filled with elements for reflection." "--Papers de Prospectiva" (Spain) "A must read for almost everyone within the social sciences." "--Choice" "This book is a milestone in the development of the futures field... an ambitious attempt to capture what we know about the study of the future--Bell's version of Francis Bacon's "Novum Organum"." --Peter C. Bishop, "Technological Forecasting and Social Change" "This is a great book, representing a great achievement by Professor Bell. It creates an important plateau upon which the field of future studies can achieve new heights." --Gary Gappert, director, Institute for Future Studies, University of Akron "This book is a masterpiece! It makes an extraordinary contribution to studies of the future. . . . Bell has produced an incredibly fresh, careful, solidly detailed book that will serve as a landmark in the field for many years to come." --Allen Tough, Ontario Institute for Studies hi Education, University of Toronto "Wendell Bell has produced a stunning tour de force which should convince even the most obstinate detractor that futures studies is a worthy academic field which deserves respect and support. . . . [It] well documents most of the important facets, history, issues, trends, persons, and institutions in the futures field." --James A. Dator, Director, Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa

About the Author

Wendell Bell is professor emeritus of sociology at Yale University, where he also served as chair of the department and was director of the Comparative Sociology Training Program. He continues at Yale as a senior research scientist in the Center for Comparative Research, and also works as a consulting futurist-sociologist. Bell has written more than 200 articles and authored or co-authored nine books, including Social Area Analysis, Public Leadership, and Ethnicity and Nation-Building.

Edition details

• Publisher: Transaction Publishers
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1560002719
• ISBN 13: 9781560002710
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 403