Founding Principles

Open collaboration only works when people adhere to shared principles designed to foster respect, trust, and open exchange. As such, the following principles are essential to the success of Open Foresight Hub.

We cherish opposing views. As iron sharpens iron, so one perspective sharpens another. Nonetheless, individuals who hold strong opposing views, even to these founding principles, are expected to acknowledge and honor them while participating on the platform and in the broader network.

Our founding principles:

1. Open Foresight Hub is an encyclopedia, library, and futures collaboration space.
2. Open Foresight Hub seeks to collectively discern and decolonize visions of a better tomorrow.
3. Open Foresight Hub promotes diverse perspectives that enrich everyone’s understanding.
4. Open Foresight Hub fosters a civil and collaborative environment.
5. Open Foresight Hub is free for anyone to use, edit, and distribute under a CC BY-SA license.
6. Open Foresight Hub has no firm rules.

Open Foresight Hub combines many features of encyclopedias, libraries, and collaborative workspaces based on wiki principles. These three dimensions exist for a reason. The futures collaboration space is at the center of the mission: to collectively discern, decolonize, and democratize the diversity of views about our futures and the forces shaping them. In the library are quality resources and research that provide a depth of understanding about futures and foresight topics. And the encyclopedia provides foundational knowledge about the theories, methods, tools, experts, and organizations at the heart of foresight.

Open Foresight Hub does not serve as a platform for personal agendas or self-promotion, nor is it designed for commercial advertising or as a vehicle for self-publishing. It is not an experiment in chaos or a platform for unfettered democracy. It is not a haphazard collection of information or a mere web directory. Open Foresight Hub is not intended to function as a dictionary or a newspaper.

Open Foresight Hub seeks to continually improve as a project, a community, and in understanding our futures and the forces shaping them. The future is not stagnant; it is not a single moment in time. We must collectively and continuously zoom in and out, looking at our perspectives and discerning futures from all angles. Open Foresight Hub plays a role in weaving together these perspectives and iterating our way towards clearer visions of better tomorrows.

Open Foresight Hub recognizes the significance of decolonizing visions of the future. We respect the achievements of the past while recognizing the voices historically left out of the conversation. We understand the importance of critically evaluating and challenging dominant narratives and structures that perpetuate inequalities and exclusion. By actively engaging in discernment, we strive to envision a liberated future. Through this process, we aim to foster inclusive, equitable, and just futures that honor the diverse experiences and knowledge systems of all individuals.

Our aim is to uplift diverse perspectives to create a collaborative understanding of better, more inclusive futures. Achieving this goal requires the active inclusion of all. Open Foresight Hub extends an invitation for others to participate and thrive alongside us. We celebrate and embrace the richness of human diversity, acknowledging that every individual's differences are invaluable assets that enhance our intellect, fortify our resilience, and cultivate humility. These differences serve as counterbalance to our biases and limitations, expanding our perspectives and broadening our horizons.

Our most impactful work arises when we comprehensively understand a problem from all angles. We encourage and empower others to contribute in ways that surpass our own capabilities, fostering their success. When voices are marginalized, disregarded, or silenced, we actively seek them out, valuing their perspectives and amplifying their presence. As welcoming hosts we embrace rather than fear diverse perspectives.

Collaboration lies at the heart of productive dialogue, where we actively listen and exchange ideas to collectively shape valuable information. To ensure successful collaboration, we value honesty, accountability, and transparency amongst users. Respect your fellow editor, even when you disagree. The impact of our words is significant, as they carry weight and have far-reaching consequences. Engaging in constructive conversation and ensuring a safe environment demands essential qualities such as kindness, respect, and trust.

It is imperative that we establish inclusive spaces where individuals feel both secure and empowered to express themselves, regardless of differing perspectives. By embracing open-mindedness and seeking understanding, even in times of disagreement, we nurture a collaborative environment that encourages meaningful contributions from all perspectives and participants and uphold the highest standards of civility in our interactions. Should conflicts arise, discuss them calmly on the appropriate talk pages, follow dispute resolution procedures, and consider that there are other articles to improve and discuss. Apply Open Foresight Hub [code of conduct], and do not engage in personal attacks. Seek consensus, avoid edit wars, and never disrupt Open Foresight Hub to illustrate a point. Act in good faith, and assume good faith on the part of others. Be open and welcoming to newcomers.

In line with our project goals, we encourage open licensing practices that promote accessibility and collaboration. We value the diverse knowledge sources that contribute to Open Foresight Hub and strive to give proper attribution to all creators and contributors. You are free to use, copy, distribute, and modify the text of Open Foresight Hub articles, as long as you attribute the authors and share your modifications under the same CC BY-SA license. All editors freely license their work to the public, and no editor owns an article – any contributions can and may be mercilessly edited and redistributed.

Violation of copyright poses a serious risk to the integrity and continuity of our project. Engaging in activities that infringe upon copyright undermines the principles of openness, collaboration, and ethical knowledge sharing that our project stands for. Therefore, when contributing to, or editing, Open Foresight Hub, remember to respect copyright laws and never plagiarize from any sources. Do not reproduce or distribute copyrighted material; instead, focus on using open-source, public domain, or Creative Commons-licensed content that explicitly allows for reuse. Additionally, always provide proper attribution and citation for any sources used to avoid plagiarism and acknowledge the original creators. When in doubt about the legality or appropriateness of using certain material, it is always better to err on the side of caution and refrain from doing so.

Open Foresight Hub fosters a community of shared power and stewardship over the continual modification and improvement of the project. There are policies and guidelines, but they are not carved in stone; their content and interpretation can evolve over time. The principles and spirit matter more than literal wording, and sometimes improving Open Foresight Hub requires making exceptions. We encourage everyone to be bold, but not reckless, in updating articles. Wikis like ours develop faster when everybody helps to fix problems, correct grammar, add facts, make sure wording is accurate, etc. Do not agonize over making mistakes: they can be corrected easily because (almost) every past version of each article is saved.

Our principles are derived from and further develop upon the knowledge shared by the Wikipedia and Wikimedia Foundation. We acknowledge the valuable contributions made by these organizations in promoting free access to information and fostering collaborative communities. By attributing our principles to their foundational work, we seek to honor their efforts. However, it is important to note that while we draw inspiration from Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation, we are a separate entity.