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Our Honorary Research Fellow Dr Emrah Atasoy (Associate Fellow, English and Comparative Literary Studies) organised the interdisciplinary panel 'Narratives of the Future' at the University of Edinburgh's The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities on 1 May 2026.

The interdisciplinary panel, organised by Dr Atasoy and generously hosted by IASH, explored how the future is imagined through literary, cultural, and political perspectives, and how such narratives shape our understanding of contemporary global challenges. Bringing together four speakers, the panel addressed different approaches to envisioning the future and the ways in which these perspectives influence our interpretations of tomorrow. Focusing on insights from literary studies, cultural studies, and political theory, the discussion highlighted the contributions these fields can make to ongoing debates about the future and the complex issues facing the world today.

The panel featured:

Chair: Professor Anna Vaninskaya (School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, University of Edinburgh)

Professor Mathias Thaler (School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh): The Future in the Anthropocene

Dr Jarita Holbrook (School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh): Afrofuturism Futures

Dr Emrah Atasoy (The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of Edinburgh): The Future in Utopian & Dystopian Narratives

Dr Owen Holland (School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, the University of Edinburgh): 'The Everlasting Now': Visions of the Future in Edward Carpenter's Towards Democracy

The presentations were followed by a 20-minute tea and coffee break, after which a lively 30-minute Q&A session was held, moderated by Professor Vaninskaya, with questions from both in-person and online participants.

The event was well attended, with approximately 25 in-person and 55 online attendees.

Image by Dr Emily Clifford.

Guest blog by Emrah Atasoy: