Summary
What is the difference between forecasting and foresight, as a skill and an area of work?
What are the pitfalls when international civil society organizations (ICSOs) apply crisis frameworks to trends that are actually longer-term, intersecting, and systemic?
Decolonization and diversity: how are these big current discussions and areas for taking action intersecting with what sometimes is called 'anticipatory capacity': the capacity to anticipate futures and know how to act in order to try to influence them?
In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview consultants and former Amnesty International practitioners Danny Vannucchi and Heather Hutchings, on anticipating the future of civil society operating space - the legal, political and normative space for CSOs to do their work. Their report, commissioned by the International Civil Society Centre (ICSC) as part of its long-term work on civic space, is titled: Anticipating Futures for Civil Society Operating Space.
ICSC's mission is to strengthen the impact and resilience of international civil society organizations to support people to change their world for the better. The Centre does this by convening civil society actors, offering training, research and other activities.
The Centre is planning further work on civil society's anticipatory capacity and is keen to get in touch with potential partners. Email Miriam Niehaus at ICSC: mniehaus@icscentre.org
Heather’s Bio:
Danny’s Bio:
We discuss:
Quotes:
“How to not sit at the table laid out by others, but rather, invite others to sit at your own table – that is the challenge”
“Crisis response is an important part of NGOS’ public relations