Anticipation as Presence of the Future

Abstract

This work explores, from an anthropological perspective, the social imaginaries about the future and anticipation in different decision-making groups as a way to diagnose the manner in which they take their decisions and create agendas of development. Specifically, it is proposed to study the temporalities that sustain the imaginaries of anticipation in different cases and to diagnose the rhythms of life that characterize development in each group among their different symbolic fields. To achieve this purpose, a method called cultural rhythmics is used to study temporality, spatiality, and rhythms of life. This method systematizes the set of everyday rhythms of life and aims to connect the "presence of the past" in the imaginaries (like history, family, identity, life trajectory, tradition) with the "pres-ence of the future" (like planning, projects of life, dreams, hopes, wishes, utopias, policies, anticipation). The composition of the present imaginaries in decision-making groups can be understood as simultaneity of past and future representations. The outputs of this model could be summarized in two tools: (1) diagnosis of imaginaries and rhythmics of anticipation and (2) construction and synchronization of agendas. Decision-making groups could use these tools to change the way they manage territories, symbolic capitals, and social organizations. All of them are focused on applying rhythmic agendas as a management institutional strategy for facing the future, and so, to study the rhythmics of the future in terms of anticipation.