Participatory foresight: adaptation of european practices to the tasks of post-war reconstruction of ukraine

Abstract

Urgency. The article raises the problem of the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine in the context of social forecasting, in particular, the European experience in conducting participatory futures research.

The purpose of the article is to review the theoretical and methodological foundations of participatory foresight and to determine the possibilities of its approbation as a technology (tool) for achieving the goals of post-war reconstruction in Ukraine.

Results. The conceptual and categorical apparatus has been clarified. Western approaches to the futures research are determined. Criteria for the analysis of the participation practices in general and in foresight in particular are denfined. A definition of the concept of "participative foresight" has been proposed. An overview of foresight projects is presented: Civisti (2009-2011), Casi (2014-2017) and Cimulact (2015-2016). They exemplify participative foresight and institutionalization of citizen participation as independent actors and creators of visions of the future. Foresight projects have been implemented in the European Union with financial support from the European Commission. Based on the results of the analysis, an initial generalization of the methodological foundations and the procedure of participatory foresight was carried out, the advantages and disadvantages (side effects) of foresight participation were identified. The author's ideas about the possibilities of participatory foresight for the purposes of the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine are proposed. It is noted that participatory foresight can become an effective technology for post-traumatic and post-war reconstruction of communities in Ukraine. In addition to its immediate goal - forecasting and planning the future, participatory foresight allows for systemic professional socio-psychological rehabilitation at the level of both large social groups (society, nation) and communities (territorial, confessional, ethnic, etc.), as well as carry out soft adjustment of mass (collective) socio-psychological conditions. The implementation of participatory foresight research as a discourse of participation is possible both through an "expert dialogue" aimed at interdisciplinary cooperation and overcoming the fragmentation of scientific knowledge; and through "social dialogue" aimed at including stakeholders (they may be directly or indirectly interested) in public discussion within the deliberative process.

Prospects for the practical application of research results  The introduction of participatory foresight practices requires the coordination of efforts on the part of officials, the expert community and citizens, the conscious readiness of each of the parties to cooperate and responsibility for their contribution to the common future.