Abstract
Imagined nanotechnology futures are polarised between utopian dreams and apocalyptic nightmares. This paper provides an introduction to nanotechnology, a highly complex research and policy realm, and the contesting of "nano-futures". How the future and past are mobilised during the development of emerging technologies is of particular interest. Drawing on work in the field of Science and Technology Studies, which distinguishes between 'looking into' and 'looking at' the future, nanotechnology's intensely future-oriented dynamic is assessed. These dynamics have implications for the understanding of change processes and images of the future, as well as for constructive engagement with "nanotechnology".
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 23-48 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Journal | Journal of Futures Studies |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Sept 2010 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Converging technologies
- Images of the future
- Imaginaries
- Nanoscience
- Nanotechnology
- Sociology of expectations