Difendere il possibile. TikTok e Futures literacy come pratiche di empowerment giovanile

Abstract

This article explores how deterministic narratives constrain young people’s capacity to imagine and shape the future, framing them as passive subjects of pre-defined trajectories. Drawing on the concept of futures literacy and the experience of Forwardto, it examines how participatory, narrative-based practices–such as speculative fiction, worldbuilding, and social media storytelling–can reopen the space of possibility. Through the analysis of cultural signals (e.g., TikTok content) and foresight-driven workshops, the study shows how young people negotiate identity, agency, and adulthood within conditions of “biographical uncertainty.” The paper argues that combining lateral thinking with collective imagination enables the construction of plural, negotiable futures, transforming uncertainty into a shared resource and fostering youth empowerment.