Beyond ‘The Circle’: Triangles, stories, and sociotechnical futures

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14512/tatup.7278

Keywords:

speculative fiction, literary studies, futures studies, participatory method

Abstract

This article explores speculative fiction as a participatory method for technology assessment and futures studies. Building on Braun’s Literary Futures approach, an asynchronous workshop centered around Dave Eggers’ The Circle invited participants to use literary analysis and foresight tools to examine how narrative structures shape perceptions of technological futures. The study demonstrates how literature can foster resonant and grounded reflection, enabling non-experts to co-create alternative sociotechnical imaginaries. Findings suggest that speculative fiction can act as an epistemic interface between expert foresight and public imaginaries, making moral and emotional knowledge visible within anticipatory governance. The article thus positions literature as a methodological and epistemological resource for inclusive and responsible innovation.

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Published

2026-07-06

How to Cite

“Beyond ‘The Circle’: Triangles, Stories, and Sociotechnical Futures”. 2026. TATuP - Zeitschrift für Technikfolgenabschätzung in Theorie Und Praxis 35 (2): 28-35. https://doi.org/10.14512/tatup.7278.