HAWAI’I
RESEARCH CENTER FOR FUTURES STUDIES
Activities
for the year 2001
Director, James A. Dator
Phone: 1-808-956-6601
Email: dator@hawaii.edu
Research Assistant, Mark Nickum
Phone: 1-808-956-2888
Fax: 1-808-956-2889
Email: nickum@hawaii.edu
2424 Maile Way, Room 720
University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822 USA
BACKGROUND OF THE CENTER
The story of the Hawai'i
Research Center for Futures Studies (HRCFS) is one of impressive contributions
from very limited resources. The HRCFS was established by the Hawai‘i State
Legislature in 1971 to collect and disseminate information about futures
studies and to do futures research for public and private groups within the
State, the region, and throughout the world (Chapter 222).
Locally, since that time, the HRCFS, located within the
Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) of the University of Hawai’i at Manoa,
has proven to be an invaluable resource. It has provided futures-oriented
information and conducted workshops for almost all State and City agencies as
well as for many commercial and nonprofit local groups throughout the State.
The HRCFS also works closely
with the Alternative Futures Graduate program within the University of
Hawai‘i’s Department of Political Science.
That program, created in 1977, has produced scores of women and men who
have gone on to become professional futures consultants in many fields,
locally, nationally, and worldwide. One
component of the Graduate program is a paid internship that many students
experience either with the HRCFS or with the Institute for Alternative Futures
(IAF), in Alexandria, Virginia, one of the oldest and most respected futures
consulting firms in the world. The
HRCFS also cooperates with the Program in Public Administration, and other SSRI
and University units on applied futures-oriented projects especially in global
change and environmental management in Hawai’i and throughout the Pacific
Island region.
Nationally, the HRCFS has itself become a major futures resource.
For one example, the HRCFS was responsible, with IAF, for creating the concept
and reality of “judicial foresight"--incorporating futures studies into
judicial administrative decision-making.
This began with work done by the HRCFS with the Hawai‘i State Judiciary
from the 1970s onward. Subsequently,
the HRCFS has engaged in judicial foresight activities indirectly with all, and
directly with ten, other U.S. state judiciaries, as well as with the U. S.
federal judiciary, many national and state bar associations, and more recently
with several foreign judiciaries, primarily in the Asia-Pacific. The State Justice Institute, a U.S. federal
agency for state judiciaries, made the category “Futures and the Courts” one of
its major funding categories specifically because of work done with and through
the HRCFS and the IAF. The HRCFS has also consulted with many other
governmental units, universities, businesses, religious organizations, and
nonprofit entities throughout North America.
Globally, the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF), the
premier world organization of groups and individuals conducting futures
research at a professional level, chose the Center to house the WFSF
Secretariat during the 1980s and early 90s, and awarded the HRCFS its highest honor
for excellence in futures research in 1994.
The Center has been an
Affiliate Campus of the International Space University (ISU) of Strasbourg,
France since 1996. As such, UH faculty and students have participated in the
Masters in Space Studies (MSS) program at the main campus in Strasbourg and the
Summer Session Program (SSP) which is held in different locations around the
world (most recently, University of Bremen, Germany; Federico Santa Maria
Technical University, Chile; and Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand).
Similarly,
ISU MSS students come to the University of Hawai'i campus each year for their
Placement Program. HRCFS and ISU also cooperate in various research and
training projects.
Current research projects and proposals:
--Conference on
"Globalization, Public Institutions and Fairness", Sponsored by the
Hawai'i Research Center for Futures Studies and the Public Administration
Program, in cooperation with the Center for Korean Studies, University of
Hawai'i at Manoa, and the World Academy of Art and Science. Funded by the
Globalization Research Center and the State's Department of Business, Economic
Development and Tourism.
Originally
planned for Hawai'i September 20-22, 2001, but postponed until January 5-9,
2002
See
<www.fairglobe.hawii.edu>
--Environmental Protection
Agency Grant Number: 2001-STAR-K2 "Assessing Future Teleportation
Technologies" (pending)
--"Initiatives in the
New Economy," in cooperation with the Space Policy Program, McGill
University, Montreal, Canada (pending)
--"Environmental
Scanning," Conducted every two years for the Office of Planning,
Judiciary, State of Virginia, 1994-2000. Next scan anticipated in 2002.
Visiting faculty and students
During March, the Center
hosted Dr. Kaoru Yamaguchi, Professor, and Associate Dean, Graduate School of
Management, Nagoya Sangyo University, while he researched and wrote an article
on systems theory in futures research
International Space University student placements:
1999-Laurance Higgs (UK)
2000--Jonathan Ricketson
(Australia)
2001--Sandra Janosik (Canada)
(interned with Tom McCord, Hawai'i Institute of Geology and Planetology).
Public lectures at UHM sponsored by the HRCFS:
February 1, "The social
psychology of small groups in space" by Prof. Sheryl Bishop, University of
Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
March 21, "Futures and
Labor Unions" by Prof. Arthur Shostak, Drexel University, Pennsylvania
September 13, "Futures
studies at Rand" by Michael Scheiern, Instructor, Security Studies, Rand
Graduate School, California
September 14, "Improving
methods of futures research" by Kaipo Lum, Director of futures research,
Hawai'i Medical Service Association
October 19, "Red Sun as an example of writing futures
scenarios" by the authors of Red Sun,
Rick Ziegler and Patrick Patterson, Professors of History, Honolulu Community
College
November 2, "Futures of
intellectual property law," by Deborah Halbert, Professor of Political
Science, Otterbein College, Ohio.
Recent books and monographs
Jim Dator, ed., Advancing Futures: Futures Studies in
Higher Education. Wesport, CT:
Praeger, Forthcoming 2002
Jim Dator, et
al., Hawai'i 2000: Past, Present and
Futures. Prepared for the Office of Planning, Department of Business,
Economic Development and Tourism, State of Hawai'i, December 1999
Tae-Chang Kim and
Jim Dator, eds., Co-Creating a Public
Philosophy for Future Generations. London: Adamantine Press, 1999 (From a
conference held in Honolulu, sponsored by the HRCFS, and funded by the Future
Generations Alliance of Kyoto, Japan)
Jim Dator, ed.,
"Futures Studies in Higher Education," Entire Issue, Vol, 42, No. 3, American Behavioral Scientist.
November/December 1998
Recent journal publications
(With Jerome Glenn and
Theodore Gordon), "Closing the deal: How to make organizations act on
futures research. Foresight, Vol. 3,
No.3, June 2001, 177-189
"The last supper of the
dinosaurs: Futures of shopping malls," Journal
of Futures Studies, Vol. 5, No. 4, May 2001, 93-110.
Jim Dator, “Judicial
governance of the Long Blur,” Futures,
Vol. 33, No. 1, January 2001
Jim Dator, "When courts
are overgrown with grass: Futures of courts and law," Futures. Vol. 32, No. 1 February 2000
Jim Dator, et al., "2000
and counting: Looking ahead, in 1970 and 2000," Honolulu Advertiser, January 2, 2000, Focus Section, B
Jim Dator, "Eyes on the
future: the new university" Malamalama,
Vol. 24, No. 1, January-June 2000
Jim Dator,
"Bright future for unions?" in Arthur Shostak, CyberUnion. M. E. Sharpe, 1999
Jim Dator,
"Return to long waves," Futures,
Vol 31, No. 3/4, April/May 1999
Jim Dator,
"From tsunamis to long waves and back," Futures, Vol 31, No. 1, February 1999
Recent articles about the HRCFS
John Duchemin, "When
tourism falters, there's no backup," Honolulu
Advertiser, October 7, 2001, p. G1 ,2
Jade Moon, "Blindly
following technology," MidWeek,
July 18, 2001, p. 13
Vicki Viotti, "200l: A
tech odyssey," Honolulu Advertiser,
January 3, 2001, p. E1
Jan TenBruggencate,
"Hawaii paddles uncharted course," Honolulu Advertiser, January 3, 2000, p. A1, A6
Jonathan S. Greene, "The
Future of the Law School," ABA
Student Lawyer, January 2000, pp. 21-27
Burl Burlingame, "Back
to the Future," Honolulu
Star-Bulletin, March 15, 1999, C-1, 4
Keiji Oshita interview in
Japanese, in East West Journal, April 15, 1999
Craig DeSilva, "What's
Next?" Hawaii Business Magazine,
June 1999, p. 63-67
John Griffin, "Past
ideas about 2000 shape present," Honolulu
Advertiser, October 24, 1999, p. B4
Eloise Aguiar,
"Knowledge of the Future," Honolulu
Star-Bulletin, December 25, 1999.
Wade Kilohana Shirkey,
"Futurists hope Y2K won't end thinking about possibilities," Honolulu Advertiser, December
31, 1999
Workshops and presentations during 2001
International presentations
June 27, "Alternative
futures of public service" for the South Australian Division of the
Institute of Public Administrators, Hilton Hotel, Adelaide, Australia
June 28, 29, Plenary speech
on judicial foresight; panel on judicial ethics. Australian State Judges
Conference, Adelaide, Australia
August 10-23, Lectures and
workshops on futures studies, governance design, and space ethics.
International Space University, Bremen, Germany
August 20, Consultation with
Futures Group, Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt, Germany
October 7, "Maintaining
confidence in our legal institutions: Future challenges." Asia/Pacific Law
Conference 2001, Park Royal Hotel, Christchurch, New Zealand
December 17, 18, Lectures and
workshops on futures studies and governance design, MSS 02, International Space
University, Strasbourg, France
Presentations on the US mainland
January 19, Plenary Futures
Panel, Virginia State Bar Association Convention, Holiday Inn, Williamsburg,
Virginia
March 3, "Mars or
Bust!" For the Panel on "Socrates in Space" Contact 2001 Biltmore
Hotel, Santa Clara, California
May 7, Lectures on Futures
Studies for the Public Administration Program, Southern Oregon University,
Ashland
May 8, Futures workshop,
Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls
November 3, Meeting of the
Executive Council, World Academy of Art and Science, Miyako Hotel, San
Francisco
November 13-17, Affiliate
Network Conference, Academic Council meeting, and Curriculum Planning Meeting,
International Space University, California Polytechnic University, Pomona,
California.
Presentations in Hawai'i
January 12, "Hawai'i
Legislators as applied futurists," for Representative Hermina Morita and
the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, Capitol Building,
Room 315
January 16, 17,
"Alternative Futures for the United States," Center for Asian-Pacific
Exchange, Hemenway Hall, UHM
January 29, "What's left
to sell?" Honolulu Association of Realtors, Tree Tops Restaurant, Honolulu
February 18, "Judicial
and Legal Foresight," Western Attorney General's Conference, Sheraton
Waikiki Hotel
March 29, Futures workshop,
class in "Security Policy", Prof. Joan Johnson -Freese, Asia-Pacific
Center for Security, Waikiki
April 24, "The end of
the expert", class on "Internet Anthropology", Prof. Les
Sponsel, UHM
May 1 and 3, Futures modules,
Public Administration Course, UHM
May 11, "A simple
question to the graduates," Graduation Address, University of Hawai'i,
Maui Center
July 10, Discussion of
technology and society, Channel 2 TV morning show
July 12, "Transforming
Technology," Shunzo Sakamaki Lecture Series on "Science &
Technology in the 21st Century", Krauss Hall, UHM
Aug 7, "Alternative
futures of the United States, " Center for Asian-Pacific Exchange,
Mandarin Room, East West Center
October 15, Consultation with
Col. Arthur Morrill, Director of Logistics, and his staff, US Air Force, Hickam
Air Force Base
October 29, Judge of designs
for Barber's Point, Architectural Design class, Prof. Amy Anderson
November 26, Discussion with
Speaker of the Hawai'i House of Representatives, Calvin Say, and House
Leadership, about Hawai'i's economic futures. Capitol Building, Room 431
