Professionalization and certification within futures studies
August 23, 2005
Assembly Hall

Panel members:

• Peter Bishop, University of Houston-Clear Lake
• Wendy Schultz , Infinite Futures
• Richard Slaughter, Foresight International

Objective – Share recent thinking from research conducted at the University of Houston-Clear Lake and recent discussions within the Association of Professional Futurists on the possibility of futurists becoming a recognized profession and on the degree to which the certification of futurists is feasible and helpful in achieving professional status for futurists.

Outline:

1. Definitions – occupation, profession
2. Traits of an occupation that is also a profession (cf Wheelwright)
3. Processes of professionalization
1. Traits – acquiring the traits of a profession
2. Process – negotiating with the public over professional jurisdiction
3. Systems – negotiating with the public and with other occupations competing for the same professional jurisdiction
4. Status of futurists as a profession
1. A unique service
2. That benefits society and
3. That requires complex and esoteric knowledge to perform
5. Certification (cf Coates)
1. Types and methods of certification
2. Advantages and disadvantages of certification
3. Feasibility of certifying futurists
6. General discussion
1. Are futurists recognized as a profession?
2. If not, might they be in the future?
3. If so, how?
4. Would it be valuable and feasible to certify professional futurists?