The Education and Practice of Futures Studies in Estonia

Abstract

The aim of this case study is to analyze the historical and current state of the education and practice of futures studies (FS) in a country that was once a member of the Soviet Union: Estonia. There are other countries in Eastern Europe which used to be or currently are in a similar situation to Estonia, but futures studies developed in different ways, because politics and economies were driven by different strategies or interests, and futurists emphasized different aspects of their research (either the theoretical or the practical, along different paradigms). In certain countries, like in Estonia, FS first achieved scientific (and educational) success after the political change of the early 90s, but this was followed by a long way down to a secondary (backing) position. It seems that an optimal share between education and practice may lead FS out from the pit in Estonia, and in other countries, too.