Social Actors constructing community visions in the Global South
ISSN: 1463-6689
Article publication date: 30 June 2022
Issue publication date: 7 August 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the aspects that social actors consider in constructing shared futures in communities. In their application in emerging countries, especially in the Global South, the socio-cultural particularities of communities and actors are often overlooked, generating friction or social conflicts. This paper presents two critical elements contributing to the debate: the importance of understanding Social Actors within a model of generating community futures in emerging countries; and the relevant factors that influence the actors in an exercise of building futures in communities.
Design/methodology/approach
From qualitative research, a case study of community foresight of the future was used: the future of Puerto Gaitán 2037 (Meta, Colombia). A method of information collection was applied from observation of the participants and analysis of documentation. The analysis method was the deductive qualitative analysis (DQA).
Findings
The participation of the social actors presents a model of five relevant elements that influence the actors for the successful construction of futures in communities. The first four factors, revealed from theory, are presented in real life. Likewise, a fifth factor is proven, Long-term thinking, which is evidenced by a model of application of futures studies for the specific context, applicable to the case of communities in countries of the Global South.
Originality/value
Although there are isolated examples of recommendations regarding studies to generate the future of communities, to the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study that presents concrete factors that contribute to guiding the construction of community futures from social actors, especially in countries of the Global South such as Colombia. It is also one of the first studies to use the DQA as a method of analysis in a topic of futures studies.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author thanks Dr. Francisco Mojica, Director of the Center for Strategic Thinking and Foresight of the Universidad Externado of Colombia, who directed the exercise in Puerto Gaitán, as well as all the members of the technical team who contributed to the adequate development of the intervention, for the good of the community involved.
Citation
Vargas-Lama, F. (2024), "Social Actors constructing community visions in the Global South", Foresight, Vol. 26 No. 4, pp. 594-623. https://doi.org/10.1108/FS-11-2021-0235
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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