futuureja

Futuureja is a term used in speculative and futures studies to describe a practice of generating and examining multiple plausible futures as interconnected narratives rather than a single forecast.

Etymology and scope: The word appears to derive from roots related to future (futur-, futuro) and a suffix -eja that signals a field or collection in some constructed languages; it gained prominence in English-language discourse through online essays and worldbuilding communities around the 2020s.

Definition and core features: It involves assembling a consistent set of future scenarios that reflect diverse drivers (technology, environment, governance, culture) and their interactions; outputs are scenario bundles or narrative arcs that can inform policy, design, and storytelling.

Methods: It combines horizon scanning, cross-impact analysis, stakeholder participation, scenario planning, and narrative development; often uses iterative refinement and plausibility checks.

Criticism and adoption: Some scholars view futuureja as a useful heuristic for exploring uncertainty; others view it as vague, appealing to fiction more than science. In practice, the term is more common in worldbuilding discussions than formal foresight literature.

See also: futures studies, scenario planning, foresight, scenario narrative, worldbuilding.