Entangled Futures

Entangled Futures is an installation developed by students of the Transdisciplinary Master Insert Program at the University of Twente, in co-creation with stakeholders from the elderly healthcare organisation Sensire. With an aging population and rising staff shortages in healthcare, it is becoming increasingly clear that the current system is unustainable, and that change is imminent. The first aim of the collaboration was therefore to create a transdisciplinary analysis of the current and future challenges of the Dutch Elderly Healthcare system. The second stage consisted of jointly imagining and developing several scenarios,  after which we created a provotype (“provoking prototype”) reflecting the process and outcomes of the collaboration.  This led to the development of the installation Entangled Futures. 

What will your future care look like in 2050?

In the 'Entangled Futures' installation, an audio narrative introduces each participant to a unique future scenario related to a specific challenge. Through this audio, they vividly experience what it means to be in that scenario and discover how we frame narratives and imaginaries as well as their societal consequences. Participants then follow their own 'rope with a handle', while being asked critical questions giving them a chance to challenge scenarios and consider other futures, while being confronted with potential frictions. They are encouraged to track their reflections as they progress.

At intersections where their ropes connect with others, participants encounter additional questions and are invited to interact with one another. This allows them to understand the broad range of ideal future scenarios and reflect on the frictions between them, as well as the impacts and consequences of present-day decisions on future outcomes.

The installation was tested with 15 participants ranging from 49-71, of which the majority reported positively of the experience. Preliminary results indicate that the interaction and the questions were appreciated, opening up perspectives and deepening the understanding of their given scenario or their future care. The question remains whether the impact will change their behaviour regarding preparation for their future care, or if the experience solely serves as a reawakening of earlier thoughts and increasing general awareness. The installation does seem to have potential to be used in policy making, in the healthcare sector as well as for other complex societal problems.

#entangledfutures