“The fabric of society is woven with emotional threads, from empathy to outrage, and it is these feelings that shape both harmony and conflict in the world.” — Dalai Lama

"Emotion ecosystems" refers to the complex, interconnected emotional interactions that emerge within collectives—whether in communities, institutions, or digital environments. These ecosystems continuously evolve in response to technological innovation, political shifts, and cultural transformations.

Why?
The increasing integration of artificial intelligence, affective computing, and digital environments into daily life has fundamentally altered how emotions are expressed and experienced. Social media platforms, for example, not only serve as amplifiers of collective emotions but also act as regulators through algorithmic curation, determining which emotions are validated, reinforced, or suppressed. 

Meanwhile, the rise of brain-machine interfaces and biometric tracking may enable real-time monitoring and even modulation of emotional states, blurring the lines between authentic feelings and technologically mediated responses. As these technologies evolve, they introduce ethical dilemmas regarding emotional autonomy and consent, raising questions about the extent to which emotions should be engineered or optimized for social and economic purposes. This digital transformation extends beyond individuals, reshaping emotional dynamics at a societal level, from political movements fueled by algorithmic outrage to workplace cultures shaped by emotion-sensing AI.

In parallel, breakthroughs in psychology and neuroscience are deepening our understanding of emotional ecosystems. The gut-brain axis, for instance, underscores the role of microbiota in shaping mood and stress responses, suggesting that emotional well-being is as much a biological process as a psychological one. Similarly, research into the brain’s reality threshold highlights how cognitive frameworks filter and construct emotional experiences, emphasizing the malleability of perception.

About the Workshop
This foresight workshop will explore how emotion ecosystems are transforming and what these changes mean for individuals and society. Participants will identify key drivers of change, analyze emerging trends, and engage in a multidisciplinary dialogue to anticipate and shape the future of emotional dynamics. 

As a key outcome, the workshop will produce a set of Delphi statements on the future of emotion ecosystems, providing structured arguments based on probability and desirability assessments. These statements will later serve as the foundation for a broader expert consultation.

Participants & Expertise Areas
The workshop will bring together approximately 40 experts from diverse fields, including:

• Social psychology & neuroscience 
• Affective computing & brain-machine interfaces 
• Anthropology & political science
• Media & communication studies
• Art & creative industries
• Spiritual and contemplative communities
  

By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, this workshop aims to advance scientific debate, inspire new research directions, and contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolving emotional fabric of society.

The event will be held at Mercure Conacul Cozieni, approximately 20 km from the center of Bucharest, Romania.

This foresight study aims to support the design of a robust and adaptable digital competency framework that aligns with the long-term strategic priorities of the public administration in Romania. Additionally, it seeks to ensure the framework remains future-ready, enabling civil servants to navigate digital transformation, deliver citizen-centric services, and address complex policy challenges with agility and innovation.

The foresight methodology utilized horizon scanning and scenarios (both explorative and normative) as essential tools in strategic planning, helping organizations and policymakers navigate uncertainty by exploring various probable and/or desirable futures.

This study focuses on the year 2032, a timeframe suited for structural transformation in public administration, allowing for the development and maturity of complex digital systems.

The scenario-building process was based on inputs developed by the foresight team at Institutul de Prospectiva and was progressively refined through three online working sessions and a final in-person workshop.

The figure below provides a concise overview of the scenario-building steps, followed by a detailed explanation of the characteristics and objectives of each scenario type.

We help people and organisations imagine, work with, and shape their future. 

CIFS is a UNESCO Chair, Copenhagen Chair of The Millennium Project, Member of the Word Economic Forums Global Foresight Network, Teach the Future, Fremtidskoalitionen( Future Coalition for Future Generations), APF and WFSF member.  

This report showcases the results of the two-round Dynamic Argumentative Delphi survey carried out within the project “S&T&I for 2050. Science, Technology and Innovation for Ecosystem Performance – Accelerating Sustainability Transitions”. The overarching ambition of this project is the “identification and mapping of future scientific and technological developments that can radically improve ecosystem performance”. The main outcome is to provide “reflections towards the 2nd Strategic Plan of Horizon Europe (HE), in its broad direction to support the Sustainable Development Goals.”

To this end, quantitative and qualitative methods were employed, among which this report refers to:  

• Patent and bibliometric analysis for selecting the most dynamic Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) domains; 
• Horizon scanning through web mining and human evaluation for identifying key STI directions and specific examples of technological/scientific breakthroughs within these directions; 
• Dynamic Argumentative Delphi engaging relevant experts from around the world in an argument-based exploration regarding the contribution of STI to the capability of ecosystems to flourish from now to 2050. 

Event takeaways:

The workshop offered a structured journey—reflecting on the past of liberal democracies, examining current research on key pillars like institutions, participation, and media, and exploring possible futures through the lens of four science fiction novels that imagine future democratic developments

• Senior scientist at “Our World in Data”, Bastian Herre gave an alarming as well as reconciling view into the deterioration of liberal democracies worldwide as well as in Europe. Yet, he pointed out that most of our present democracies are built on solid institutions and they are most likely to be resilient against internal and external attacks.
• Michel Debruyne of Beweging.net introduced results from comparative country research from the INVOLVE Democracy project. Among the factors stablizing liberal democracies long-term are the quality of trust in public institutions and policies as well as making participation possible for all citizens. However, when looking at public policies and social benefits, the picture is more ambiguous: while public health expenditure is considered a stabilizing factor, high expenditure in pensions might result in distrust. More definite in destabilizing democracy in a country are corruption and low quality of public transport.
• The RECLAIM project is researching the significance of expression of information disorder and democratic stability. The protection of the public sphere is identified as a cornerstone of democracy. Of similar importance are public service social media as well as a better regulation of social media companies. In his presentation Maximilian Conrad, University of Iceland, also pointed out the significance of the education factor, not only for children but also for adults, including science education and media literacy. Destabilizing factors are, among others, disruptive technologies, fragmented public spheres and distrust in traditional journalism and science.
• In the MeDeMAP presentation, Maren Beaufort, Austrian Academy of Sciences focused on the role of (social) media and stated that traditional information media and pluralism, thinking long-term and endorsing a culture of diversity are crucial in maintaining democratic values. Investigative journalism plays a special role as it uncovers corrupt activities and disguised the foes of democracy. What we cannot expect is a consensus in social media bubbles. Definitely destabilizing liberal democracies is the exclusion of citizens from discourses; and also the suppression of media as well as the lack of self-criticism within journalism. Still open are questions such as: How to prevent democracies dying at the hands of elected leaders—who subvert the very process that brought them to power.
• An outlook into diverse futures of democratic values was presented in the “Literary Quartet”, where four passionate readers of science fiction literature gave their interpretation of four different novels dedicated to the longevity of democratic life in the future. What we can learn from novel like Infomocracy (2016), The Lost Cause (2023), The Left Hand of Darkness (1969), and The Ministry for the Future (2020)? The discussion extracted visions of pluralist and diverse societies where humans can change their identity, experiment with new forms of governance in local communities, where central governments are resolved and where people find ways to cope with climate change by supporting each other.

This workshop is part of a series of “Eye of Europe” pilot activities taking place during 2025, aimed at exploring various futures and their implications for R&I policy.

The workshop was open to a wide audience - experts and non-experts - interested in questions of future democracies.

Paulo Carvalho has been working in the field of futures and foresight for more than 25 years. On one hand, he is a professor in foresight, strategy and innovation at the Faculty of Economics and Management at the University of Lisbon. On the other hand, he founded a foresight company five years ago, IF Insight Foresight, focussing on consulting, horizon scanning and strategic intelligence, as well as other strategy and innovation projects. He talked to Futures4Europe about Insight Foresight’s recently developed tool ORION and how it could revolutionise foresight practices.