Futures (25:7) published the article 'Science for the post-normal age' by Silvio O.Funtowicz and Jerome R.Ravetz in 1993. This can be represented as one strand, rooted in philosophies of science in the growing awareness of the complexity of the intefaces between science and society. It offers less a theory than a problem solving framework for issues where 'facts are uncertain, values in dispute, stakes are high and decisions urgent' (Wikipedia). This links to the editorial of an issue of Futures published in 2017 which provides an overview of current thought and practice in the field, with many references to aid further study.
This special issue contains a selection of papers presented during the 2014 Bergen meeting, complemented with short perspectives by young PNS-inspired scholars, presented at a mini-symposium “Post-normal times? New thinking about science and policy advice” held on 21 October 2016 in celebration of Silvio Funtowicz' 70th birthday, also in Bergen. In addition, the issue includes two more extended commentaries on the present crisis in science and the post-fact/post-truth discourse, one from Europe (Saltelli and Funtowicz, this issue) and one from Japan (Tsukahara, this issue). Far from being a complete representation of the discussions at both symposia, the six papers, three short perspectives on PNS and two extended commentaries on the present crisis, represent relevant reflections on the current state and possible future scope of PNS in the context of the rapidly changing role of science in governance.