Explanation of Disciplinary Possibility of Futures Studies as a Transdisciplinary Field

Since futures studies was faced by the challenge of being stablished as a discipline, and many of futurists insisted on the necessity of this matter for futures studies, this research is to analyse disciplinary possibility of futures studies. Also, it is to determine its position between academic disciplines.

At first part of this research, analysing of satisfying disciplinary criteria by futures studies from epistemological, social, and organisaional approaches was used. At second part, position of futures studies between academic disciplines was determined through applying well-known disciplines categories.

The results showed that futures studies include particular object of inquiry; body of accumulated specialist knowledge; specialized theories and concepts; various practical methods; scientific paradigms; shared discourse, language, peers, identity; and application in action. It was identified that futures studies due to its disciplinary capabilities, can be considered as a discipline and in disciplines categories, it is an applied and soft discipline and is posited in the broader domain of applied social sciences.

While futures studies satisfies disciplinary criteria, it needs to be developed in two areas: first one is development of its philosophical and epistemological foundations, so that it exits from its baseless situation; second one is its academic development at different higher education levels so that to reach its real position in academy.