by Rowena Morrow
ABSTRACT
One role for Futures Studies is the generation of alternative images of the future. These images can help shape the path an individual, group or society may choose to follow. In 2000, a debate in Australia about the provisions for women taking maternity leave expanded into a heated debate about differing constructions of motherhood. Using Causal Layered Analysis to delve beneath the surface, it becomes clear that all sides of the debate share fundamental myths. Recasting these myths must occur before any changes can be made on the surface. Images from fictional societies are used as sources of alternative futures.