To ensure that the concerns of young and future generations are effectively represented in political discourse, our project is based on three interlinked strategic priorities: we identify relevant topics, we collect empirical data, and we establish local and digital forums for social dialogue about the future.
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Youth for Tomorrow: Towards a Future-oriented democracy
The project “Towards a Future-oriented democracy” is committed to ensuring that the interests of young and future generations are heard in political discourse, bringing together three different perspectives.
Firstly, politics in Germany is confronted with a growing number of social, economic, and ecological challenges, requiring it to combine short-term responses with strategic orientation and foresight. Political solutions often seem short-sighted, while long-term solutions are frequently put on hold.
Secondly, structural factors exacerbate this situation. Democratic political institutions operate within legislative periods in order to justify their claim to legitimacy. In addition, demographic change means that the perspectives of older generations tend to feature more prominently in political discourse than those of younger and future generations.
Thirdly, there is currently a growing loss of trust combined with fears about the future. Polarized debates—especially in the digital space—undermine the foundation for constructive exchange, particularly with regard to future challenges.
Against this backdrop, there is a need for impetus for policies that take future prospects into account and systematically integrate them into decision-making processes—especially now, when profound social transformations are to be shaped. In this regard, we rely on the interlinking of empirical findings with practical approaches and scientific evaluations.
Young people are active co-creators of a sustainable democracy. We see them as change agents who can align political structures and processes with future justice.
Project components
Set the agenda
The first project goal is to visibly position future justice in political and public discourse. To this end, we want to work together with actors from academia, civil society, and business according to the principle of collective impact.
Generate empirical evidence
In addition, our project aims to develop empirical foundations on the topic of future-proof justice. At its core is the Roadmap for Future-Proof Policy, in which we gradually compile our empirical findings and recommendations for action based on them—as a guide for system designers that will remain a key outcome even after the project has ended and will continue to open up spaces for discourse.
Creating spaces for discourse
With the aim of establishing a constructive social discourse on future issues both locally and online, we will work with our local partners in eastern Germany to test and scientifically evaluate various dialogue-oriented formats. These include, for example, role-playing games, backcasting approaches, and the use of games to promote intergenerational and public welfare-oriented dialogue on future issues.
