Multifluous 

Introducing “Looking Beyond”

Welcome to Looking Beyond, Scotland’s Futures Forum’s blog series. 

This space is for ideas that flow, sometimes together, sometimes apart, towards Scotland’s future. That’s why we’ve chosen the word “Multifluous” to open this series. We’ve combined multi- (many) and -fluous (flowing), because futures thinking is rarely linear. Like the Mississippi River in the image above, time and events meander, split, and rejoin, carrying fragments of the past and present into the future. 

Through this blog, we’ll share perspectives from academics, futurists, policy thinkers, and practitioners exploring emerging trends, long-term challenges, and opportunities for Scotland, always with a futures lens. Our aim is to spark discussion and encourage new ways of thinking about what matters for society. 

Over the next few weeks we’ll start with short pieces from our own team, introducing who we are and the areas we research. Then we’ll move to the fascinating topics suggested by contributors, thank you to everyone who responded to our call for ideas. 

Why does this matter? 

Because the choices we make today shape the Scotland of tomorrow. Futures thinking helps us look beyond immediate challenges and imagine what might come next. We hope this blog becomes a space for curiosity, dialogue, and collaboration. 

If you’d like to join the conversation or contribute, please get in touch. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Futures thinking works best when it is collaborative. Scotland’s future belongs to all of us—and it’s always multifluous. 

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