Extremity and the Future : Reflections on Imagination, Survival, and Ambiguous Times

Extremity and the Future: Reflections on Survival, Imagination, and Ambiguous Times brings together psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, political scientists, educators, artists, and activists to explore how we make sense of extremity in an era of broken futures and uncertain survival.

From the eerie calm of nuclear bunkers to the disquieting humor of apocalyptic marketing, this collection investigates how play, pedagogy, and imagination serve as tools for navigating collapse, cultural anxiety, and existential threat. At its core is the concept of playful foreboding—a critical strategy that blends seriousness and levity to face the unthinkable without denying its weight. Through essays, photo essays, and interdisciplinary inquiry, contributors from around the globe examine how extremity is lived, denied, aestheticized, and reimagined in daily life. With insight and urgency, this volume offers a new lens for understanding the complex relationship between extremity and the future.