Publications

This article by Maarten Hajer and Peter Pelzer called 2050—An Energetic Odyssey: Understanding ‘Techniques of Futuring’ in the transition towards renewable energy is based on the Energetic Oddissey. A process centred around an elaborate multimedia installation, introducing large scale exploitation of the North Sea for harvesting off shore wind energy taking place in 2015 and 2016.It examines the Odyssey as example of a Technique of Futuring and concludes with a reflection what the Odyssey teaches us about effective Techniques of Futuring to further the sustainability transition.

This paper by Suzanne Potjer and Maarten Hajer discusses the potential for cities to experiment within and between cities. 

'Learning to Experiment - Realising the potential of the Urban Agenda for the EU'

This paper by Joost Vervoort and Astrid Mangnus outlines a new conceptual approach for increasing understanding of how new foresight processes impact efforts toward urban sustainability transformations.

"The roles of new foresight methods in urban sustainability transformations"

"Learning with Cities, Learning for Cities" by Suzanne Potjer and Maarten Hajer analyses the experimental potential of the Urban Agenda for the EU. The essay presents the central principles of this innovative working method (local, horizontal, and vertical) and calls for these principles to be synthesised into a comprehensive system of experimental learning.

"Learning with Cities, Learning for Cities"

On March 17 2017, Maarten Hajer delivered his inaugural lecture as Professor of Urban Futures at the Faculty of Geosciences. The full-text of the lecture is available in both Dutch and English through the links below. 

"De Macht van de Verbeelding"  /  "The Power of the Imagination" 

On March 27 2017, Maarten Hajer delivered the Dies Natalis lecture. The theme of the Dies celebration was "Town and Gown". The full-text of Maarten's lecture is available through the link below. 

"Seeing Eye to Eye: On Castles and Cities"

How can we use artistic imagination to stimulate our thinking about post-fossil futures? This is the central question in our new publication De Post-Fossiele Stad; Een zoektocht door verbeelding. We show the journey of the Post-Fossil City Contest. The booklet includes double interviews with BreukersGodrie (winners), and Ivo Schot (finalist) and his father Johan Schot (Professor in Sustainability Transitions). In two essays, we explore the promises and pitfalls of using artistic imagination to shape post-fossil futures.