ABSTRACT In this study, we draw on social representations theory to examine how adolescents (individuals aged 13–19 years) represent their future in the increasingly multicultural Finnish context. The research material consists of drawings and written narratives from 42 adolescents with Finnish, Middle Eastern and Ukrainian backgrounds. The findings show that social representations of the future were structured around three key dimensions: self, relationships with others and the environment. We identified two competing social representations: one suggesting that the future aligns with present actions (Charted Future) and the other indicating that the future is more unpredictable (Uncharted Future). Cultural differences emerged in how the future was represented: Middle Eastern and Ukrainian participants emphasised integration, education and careers, while these themes were less evident or largely absent among Finnish participants, who instead highlighted personal success. We offer empirical insights into youth's future thinking, and we advance the understanding of the future in terms of relational social representations. Finally, we demonstrate the value of arts‐based methods in exploring complex, future‐oriented social representations.
Paola et al. (Sun,) studied this question.