Close Encounters, Awaited Appointments. Futures Studies Meet Political Risk Analysis

This chapter is a first attempt to foster a more proactive engagement between Futures Studies (FS) and Political Risk Analysis (PRA). Despite holding a common core based on (i) the same historical genesis and (ii) the overarching relevance of foresight, nonetheless the two disciplines have often remained distant on several levels and deaf to each other's developments. In greater detail, while PRA has historically maintained a strong inclination towards practice and a narrower theoretical scope, FS have been more influenced by critical reflections typical of the social sciences, thus becoming more attentive to theoretical and epistemological concerns. Through the discussion of these developments, and the presentation of several case studies, we think that the two approaches can be mutually enriching in theoretical and empirical terms. Overall, we believe, especially in light of the fundamental and often dramatic changes taking place within the international system in this age of polycrisis, that the time is ripe for this long-delayed but much awaited encounter.