For a few years now, I’ve been working with the concept of  ‘anticipatory history’ which is described by Caitlin DeSilvey, Simon Naylor and Colin Sackett as

“how the stories we tell about ecological and landscape histories shape our perceptions of what we might call future ‘plausibilities’….
Species loss, erosion and accretion, and climate change are part of the past in these places, not just part of their future.
History that calls attention to process rather than permanence may therefore help us to be more prepared for future change;
to respond thoughtfully and proactively, rather than in a mode of retreat and or regret”

Engaging people in thinking about change or the future is hard, but it seems that starting with history, and working through ideas of continuous change are somehow less threatening and more engaging. Here are some examples of ‘anticipatory history’ projects I’ve been working on in different communities.