[AISWorld] cfp: Futures Studies and Information Systems Research

[Denis Dennehy]

Cfp: Futures Studies and Information Systems Research

Information systems research has often been criticized for its focus on past phenomena rather than performing research that seeks to anticipate or even shape the future (Markus and Mentzer, 2014, Chiasson, et al., 2018). Dennis (2019) put the problem bluntly, citing a colleague: “IS research in top journals has shifted to doing autopsies on technologies that have been dead a few years.” Such a focus is, in some respects, antithetical to an important goal of research, namely understanding new phenomena.



Our obsession with the past is ironic given information technology’s profound role in shaping the future. Alvin Toffler’s (1970) observation that the rate of change in contemporary society is accelerating has been borne out by events ever since, while Gordon Moore’s famous prediction (1998) that computational power doubles roughly every two years has also held true for decades. Exponentiality has become not just a technological but a cultural backdrop for our age (Azhar, 2021) – demonstrated, for instance, by the remarkable leaps in generative AI over the last two years.



The field of futures studies has long tried to make sense of this flux. The discipline’s major works have explored its emergence, approaches, and global applications (Georghiou, 2008). Leading futurologists’ attempts to outline a methodology for practical foresight (Gray and Hovav, 1999; Voros, 2003) have contributed to successful application in many corporate and governmental environments. More recently the field has embraced creative, conjectural methods of making potential futures more tangible (Dunne & Raby, 2013; Hovorka and Peters, 2021; Hovorka and Peters, 2022). With these new techniques, designers and experiential futurists have used speculative artefacts to drive public conversation about the directions we may yet take (Ardern et al, 2019).



The IS field, we believe, has much to offer this discussion. Focusing solely on our past would sorely limit IS research from making important contributions to our changing world. Indeed, some argue that IS researchers have not only the opportunity to influence the future, but a responsibility to do so (Orlikowski & Iocono, 2001). As Ackoff (1974) put it many decades ago, we have an obligation to “design a desirable future and invent ways of bringing it about” (Hirschheim, 2019). Yet to date only a handful of IS researchers have made the explicit connection between IS and futures studies (e.g., Hovav and Gray, 2002; Willcocks, 2020; Carmel and Sawyer,2023).



We believe rich opportunities lie at this intersection, and so invite submissions for a special section of CAIS on Futures Studies and Information Systems Research. Our intention is not to debate the nature and relevance of IS research, but instead to highlight research that helps us anticipate and shape the future, providing guidance on how to promote beneficial futures and avoid undesirable future states. We are also interested to explore philosophical and methodological shifts from the research norms commonly seen today in IS.

To that end, we invite studies that a) investigate the range of possible and plausible futures for the following areas, or related domains beyond this list, and b) examine consequences – be they economic, social, cultural, or ethical – that individuals, organizations, and societies might experience.

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Application and adoption of artificial intelligence and ML systems, including generative AI.
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The effects of evolving social media and other emergent communication platforms on how we form and maintain human relationships.
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The evolution of algorithmic decision-making systems, and the subsequent impacts on equity and contestation of important decisions (about e.g. employment, education, criminal justice).
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How factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status might impact access to and use of IS and technology. Corresponding implications for social and economic justice.
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Information systems and technologies that intend to promote ethical action and equity in global challenges such as poverty, education, health, and sustainability.
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Impacts of data collection and surveillance on marginalized individuals and communities, and the related implications for privacy, civil liberties, and human rights.
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Effects of co-evolution of complementary technologies and applications, such as IoT, hyper-broadband communication, blockchain, and AI



We seek to be open with respect to methodologies and philosophical orientations. Submissions may involve traditional IS methods creatively turned to examine the future, or may instead use futures methods less commonly seen in IS research, including (but not limited to):

  1.  Scenario planning
  2.  Horizon scanning
  3.  Trends research, analysis, and forecasting
  4.  Delphi method
  5.  Systems dynamics modeling
  6.  Backcasting
  7.  Causal layered analysis
  8.  Design fiction

In addition to standard submissions, we welcome submissions in non-traditional formats, such as works of speculative fiction or visual storytelling.



Submission Requirements

We encourage, but do not require, prospective authors to email an abstract or brief summary to vanslyke at latech.edu by June 1, 2024, to receive feedback on the suitability of their work for the special section. All manuscripts submitted to CAIS should be submitted in Microsoft Word format. Authors are encouraged to follow CAIS style guide (available on the CAIS website https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/format.html) and use the CAIS author template for submissions of their manuscripts. Submissions must be made to the CAIS ScholarOne site (https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cais). If you do not have an account already, you will need to create one. Once you have logged in, and you begin the submission process, you will have the opportunity to submit the manuscript to the special issue ("SS" designation).


Important Dates

Submission deadline:  1 September 2024
First round notification: 1 November 2024
Invited revisions deadline:  31 January 2025
Second/final editorial decision:  31 March 2025
Projected publication: August 2025


Guest Editors

Craig Van Slyke, Louisiana Tech University

Fred Niederman, Saint Louis University

Cennydd Bowles, University of Oxford