Issue no. 26 of the journal FUTURI focuses on the role of generations in shaping sustainable futures, drawing on the Brundtland Report (WCED, 1987), which states: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

From this perspective, different generations are called upon to take responsibility for ensuring that economic, social, and institutional choices made today do not reduce future opportunities. The ability of different generations to imagine and build possible, better futures is indeed influenced by the cultural legacy they inherit (Mannheim, 1928; 1952; Appadurai, 2004). In this sense, the agency of younger generations is shaped by the social context in which they live, which includes both opportunities and institutionalized inequalities.

This call invites contributions that move beyond simplified views of generations and their relationships. Each generation has the potential to imagine and shape the future, while facing uncertainties and inequalities rooted in specific historical contexts. This potential is strengthened when generational stereotypes are overcome in favour of collaboration and shared action. Social change does not occur simply through generational replacement, but because new social actors are enabled to interpret social challenges in new ways (Mannheim, 1928; 1952). In this process, intergenerational dialogue plays a key role. Older generations are often more familiar with how social systems work, while younger generations may bring energy, aspirations, and new perspectives (Appadurai, 2004). Intergenerational dialogue can therefore be understood as an exchange between experience and fresh ideas; through this exchange, aspirations take concrete shape. The future thus shifts from being a given destiny to a shared, tangible project.

More specifically, this issue of FUTURI welcomes contributions on:

• structural and institutionalized inequalities, including gender norms, that affect the life trajectories of younger generations, particularly with regard to access to key social rights, including education, health, employment, and social protection;
• generational discontinuities and processes of misalignment between inherited norms and everyday life practices;
• forms of participation, mobilization, and political engagement among younger generations;
• practices of intergenerational dialogue as a key tool for addressing the complexity of the future and building shared paths towards sustainability

Deadlines

• 20 March 2026: submission of abstracts to the following address: segreteria@futureinstitute.it.
• Abstracts should not exceed 3,000 characters (including spaces) and must include the following information: authors’ names and affiliations, title of the contribution, purpose of the paper, relevance to the call, methodology, keywords, and a short bio (max. 5 lines).
• 20 April 2026: notification of abstract acceptance.
• 31 August 2026: submission of full papers to the following address: segreteria@futureinstitute.it. Papers may be submitted in Italian or English and should be between 20,000 and 30,000 characters (including spaces) according to Futuri's editorial guidelines.
• 15 October 2026: feedback sent to authors.
• 31 October 2026: submission of revised papers to: segreteria@futureinstitute.it.
• December 2026: publication of the issue.

References

Appadurai, A. (2004). The capacity to aspire: Culture and the terms of recognition. In V. Rao & M. Walton (Eds.), Culture and public action (pp. 59–84). Stanford University Press.

Mannheim, K. (1928). Das Problem der Generationen. Kölner Vierteljahrshefte für Soziologie, 7, 157–185.

Mannheim, K. (1952). The problem of generations. In P. Kecskemeti (Ed.), Essays on the sociology of knowledge (pp. 276–322). Routledge & Kegan Paul.

WCED-World Commission on Environment and Development (1987). Our common future. Oxford University Press.