From Defuturing to (Re)Futuring: Designing in Uncertainty to Catalyze Agency, Resistance and Hope

Abstract: This paper explores the transition from defuturing—design practices that undermine the viability of future life—to (re)futuring, a design orientation grounded in futures literacy, strategic foresight, and designer agency and responsibility. Design must evolve beyond short-term, solutionist thinking to engage with complex systems, long-term consequences, and the socioecological implications of its outputs. The integration of futures literacy and strategic foresight into design practice informs a proposed meta-theory of prospective design, which offers a pathway to more anticipatory, inclusive, just, and sustainable futures. The paper then examines the dual role of artificial intelligence (AI) in this context: as both a potential defuturing force when used uncritically and as a tool for expanding imagination and supporting futures literacy when applied reflexively. Practical implications include the need for design education and practice to embed futures literacy as a core competency, enabling designers to navigate uncertainty, anticipate unintended consequences, and make ethically informed decisions. Practical Implications: The paper calls for a shift in design culture from “move fast and break things” to “move slow and nurture things” and highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, critical reflection, and long-term thinking in shaping equitable and resilient futures. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence in Design; Design Ethics; Defuturing; Futures Literacy; Prospective Design; Strategic Foresight.