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Our latest updates, thoughts, and events — as they roll out.
Demos Helsinki is currently involved in 14 Horizon Europe projects. From exploring the societal impacts of new technologies to tackling climate challenges, these projects reflect a growing demand for research that sparks systemic change. Discover how we are working across disciplines to shape fairer, more sustainable futures.
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These three research projects are: 1) Reducing polarisation via material participation (MaDem); 2) Coastal waters under pressure – safeguarding a healthy Gulf of Finland in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape (CoWup); and 3) Safe Water for All (WaterFall).
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We are pleased to announce that the UNDP’s Istanbul Innovation Days (IID), taking place in March 2025, will focus on shaping the next generation of public institutions for a secure and prosperous world.
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This report shares how young people aged 14-19 helped shape Scotland’s Horizon Scanning through a participatory foresight process co-designed with Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament. It reveals insights on young people’s perspectives on topics such as climate, technology, democracy, and society more broadly, and shows how engaging them meaningfully can strengthen anticipatory governance. The methodology offers learnings and tools for governments seeking to embed long-term thinking into policy, and build trust and momentum towards shared large-scale goals.
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This report, created in collaboration with the EU Horizon-funded LIKE-A-PRO project and over 50 food experts across sectors and regions, underscores the urgent need to change the default protein production and consumption within the next two decades.
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How can countries strengthen their capacity for long-term governance and ensure that future generations are taken into account in decision-making? In this white paper, we highlight ways to promote anticipatory governance based on the views of key Finnish stakeholders. By translating the Finnish experience into a broader context, we aim to provide universally applicable strategies for advancing long-term governance and promoting intergenerational justice.
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Foresight and policymaking: lessons from Singapore and Finland
September 26, 2022
Finland and Singapore both lead in foresight-driven policymaking. Finland emphasizes cross-sector collaboration and futures research, while Singapore focuses on strategic scenario planning within government. Despite these strengths, both face challenges in fully integrating foresight into decision-making, underscoring the need for stronger institutional frameworks and capacity-building.
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The Tragedy of the Form
September 21, 2022
The “tragedy of the form” refers to society’s reliance on outdated structures designed for the industrial era, limiting our ability to address systemic challenges like the climate crisis. Despite a recognised need for collective action, existing forms are increasingly not fit-for-purpose, hindering real transformation and requiring new, more adaptive models.
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Forms Matter – Foreword
September 14, 2022
Foreword by Juha Leppänen The Tragedy of the Form Here is something we rarely talk about: the “form” in “transformation”. We pursue systemic change from forms designed for the industrial era. How can we transform societies if we don’t challenge our forms first? Demos Helsinki community, though with some notable…
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