Examination arrangement

Course content

How do you think about the future? Which images come to your mind? A secular utopian future or religiously based apocalypse? Images of continuous technological development? Of man-induced ecological disasters? Of war? Of eternal peace and emancipation? Of an eternal paradise or hell? In this course, you will analyse the anthropological toolkit in relationship with time in general and the future in particular. You will explore, from an anthropological perspective, some of the multiple ways in which different societies and at different times have imagined their futures. By bringing these futures as anthropological objects of study, you will be able to analyse and compare them, identify their different genres and their structures, their functions as well as their internal logics and predicaments. You will explore how these imaginations impinge on everyday lives, and how they are used as means for social mobilization, legitimation and de-legitimation of social action and even for entertainment.

Learning outcome

Upon completion of the course you will:

• have gained a broad knowledge of how different societies and in different periods construct images of their futures.
• have obtained broad knowledge of the content and cultural specificity of a variety of empirical imaginations of the future, and you will have explored some of their different genres and styles.
• have gained a broad knowledge of conceptual tools, concepts, and theories for the anthropological and social scientific study of temporalities in general, and of the future in particular.
• develop the ability to anthropologically identify, analyse, interpret, and critically evaluate imaginations of the future, as well as their different genres and their potential uses.
• have acquired first-hand experience in the application of anthropological and social scientific concepts for the analysis of concrete imaginations of the future, as well as presenting the results of such analysis both orally and in writing.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and seminars.

Please note that mandatory activities and lectures may start prior to the registration deadline.

Mandatory activity

Compulsory assignments

• Oral presentation in seminars

Further on evaluation

The compulsory assignments in this course is to hold a oral presentation in seminar. Information about the compulsory assignments will be available in Blackboard at the beginning of the semester. The compulsory assignments will be assessed as approved or not approved, and in order to be qualified for the exam the compulsory assignments has to be approved.

The exam in this course consists of a term paper.

Retake exam

It is possible to retake the exam, but the examination is only offered in the spring semester.

Recommended previous knowledge

SANT1020, SANT1021, SANT1022 and SANT1023

Course materials

The reading list will be available at the beginning of the semester.