Pouru, Laura, Markku Wilenius, Karin Holstius & Sirkka Heinonen (eds.) (2018)

Futures Series 9, The Finnish Society for Futures Studies. 243 pp.

(flyer as pdf) ”Pentti Malaska – A visionary and forerunner” is an intellectual biography of the life and work of Professor Pentti Malaska. Pentti Malaska played a key pioneering role in developing and establishing the academic discipline of futures studies not only in Finland, but also internationally. He earned his doctorate in electrical engineering, but his research cut across a range of fields from engineering, business mathematics and operations research through to strategic management, philosophy and deep ecology.

This book provides an insight into the futures research ideas, theories and methods developed by Pentti Malaska. It also addresses some of his key areas of research interest, such as the role of human potential in driving humankind’s development and ways of repairing humankind’s broken relationship with nature. The book gives a voice to Pentti Malaska’s close colleagues and friends, who consider his life’s achievements and look back at their collaboration with Pentti.

This volume has been compiled as a tribute to a true pioneer of futures research. Were it not for Pentti Malaska, we would not have such a strong culture of futures studies and foresight in Finland; nor would we have the Finnish Society for Futures Studies; and nor would we have the Finland Futures Research Centre. Our hope is that this book will further awareness about Pentti Malaska’s immortal ideas and inspire next-generation futures researchers and other readers interested in building a better world.

I met Pentti in Dubrovnik where he gave a lecture that was absolutely mind-blowing. It was one of the few truly futures-oriented lectures that were given there in this course on futures studies. And I said this is a tremendous intellect, and a warm person who is able to combine both – the mind and the emotion very well.
– Jim Dator, Director, Professor of the Hawaii Research Centre for Futures Studies

“We were two committed futurists, doing our best to understand and help create futures studies, encourage others to do so too, and even hoped the results of our work might help create a better world.”
– Wendell Bell, Futurist, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Yale University

“It is a truly momentous achievement to establish a new discipline out of nothing and to gain an academic status for that discipline. Without Pentti’s resolve and his skills of cooperation, the discipline of futures studies and its institutions would not exist on the scale they do in Finland today. I have no idea who would have undertaken such a venture had it not been Pentti.”
– Ilkka Niiniluoto, Academician of Science, Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Helsinki

ISBN 978-951-98852-7-8 (print)
ISBN 978-951-98852-8-5 (pdf)
ISSN 1235-0028

Download the pdf version of the book for free here
– or order your free printed copy (postage also free for a limited time!) from the Finnish Society for Futures Studies: tutuseura@gmail.com.

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19.4.2018 Helsingissä, Tieteiden talolla Tulevaisuuden tutkimuksen seuran kevätkokouksen jälkeen järjestettiin kaikille avoin tilaisuus, jossa  professori Markku Wilenius alusti aiheesta
MINNE SUUNTAAMME PENTIN JÄLKEEN?
Professori Malaskan tulevaisuusajattelun vipuvarsista

Lisäksi tilaisuuden yhteydessä julkistettiin professori Pentti Malaskan elämäkerran englanninnos:
Pouru, Laura, Markku Wilenius, Karin Holstius & Sirkka Heinonen (eds.) (2018)
Pentti Malaska – A Visionary and Forerunner
Futures Series 9, The Finnish Society for Futures Studies, 243 p.