How does a small community, which has very little ability to influence the future, prepare for that future? This is the core question addressed in Communities of the Future. It uses the case study of Suffolk, a small rural county in England, which is affected by the policy of austerity at the national level and the prospect of future resource scarcities at the global level. In the face of these challenges, can a path be found to a better future? The authors believe so. Looking at five key communities in Suffolk in the years to 2030, the authors identify the challenges facing each of those communities in the path to the future and then outline both a positive and a negative future scenario for that community. The purpose of the scenarios is to inspire the reader to build a better future. We may not be able to influence greatly those trends beyond our control, but we can anticipate them and prepare for them. It is up to us to ensure that we get the future we want. It is up to us to build a better future.
Stephen and Joanne Aguilar-Millan live in the English county of Suffolk. Stephen is a futurist who works for the European Futures Observatory as their Director of Research, whilst Joanne is a writer specialising in scenario fiction and children's novels. They have worked together on the Communities of the Future project since its inception in 2010.
