CM29: Futures

Ziauddin Sardar argues that our survival depends on taking alternative futures seriously. Mirza Sarajki? shows that the Qur'an is a future-oriented text, Jordi Serra chops his career as a futurist into five neat scenes, Christopher B Jones illuminates the importance of trends and emerging issues, Sohail Inayatullah thinks futures can be explored through stories. Richard Appignanesi exposes seven deadly virtues of postnormal times, or, (as he calls it) 'postculture'. Maya van Leemput explores future cities. Iacopo Ghinassi wonders if a digitised Qur'an retains its sacred nature. Andrew Burke claims that 'decolonial scientia' should inform our future understanding of race and identity. Cesar H Villanueva looks for peace in typhoons (and everywhere else), Linda Hyokki joins a futures studies workship, Harris Irfan is convinced cryptocurrencies are the future of Islamic economy, C. Scott Jordan dissects Afrofuturism, and Jim Dator suggests that accelerating technological and social change is infusing individuals and collectives to create a new identity - 'Indivollectivity'.

Also in this issue: Mothiur Rahman marches with the Extinction Rebellion, Nur Sobers-Khan visits the new Islamic galleries at the British Museum, Tamim Sadikali fails to stand still on the shifting ground of British Muslim identities, Misha Monaghan is unconvinced the future belongs to one Muslim woman, scenario-based short stories by Medina Whiteman, Naomi Foyle and Umar Shiraz, and our list of Ten Emerging Issues. And, oh, Samia Rahman contemplates sex with a robot!