Essays on the three pillars of future strategy: foresight, science and technology, and media

Abstract

This study aims to explore three future strategic pillars proposed by the KAIST Graduate School of Future Strategy in a challenging manner. An analysis was conducted on foresight, science and technology, and media that are deeply related to each other. This research focuses on the foresight evaluation of futures studies, the Nobel Prize recommendation network in science and technology strategy, and the role of YouTube in media policy as social media. Initially, in the field of foresight evaluation, an analysis of 186 English papers published over the past 30 years revealed a concentration of topics in the technological sector, a lack of discussion on the new evaluative value of 'learning,' and a tendency to predominantly target foresight for the near future. Next, constructing a Nobel Prize recommendation network from 1901 to 1970 showed a tendency for advanced countries to recommend their own candidates, and the influence of non-scientific factors such as political systems and military cooperation on recommendations. Finally, analyzing YouTube videos related to nuclear energy, a representative issue of the politicization of science in Korea, revealed a significant discrepancy between public opinion on social media and government policy direction. This trend highlighted that the opinions reflected on social media represent the views of the majority of the public, not just a minority of activists. This study provides important insights that policymakers in each field of futures studies, the strategy of science and technology, and media can use in policy formulation. In other words, it offers help to facilitate the enhancements of future strategies in each field.