Futures studies in Italy and The limits to growth

This article describes the introduction of futures studies to Italy and esp ecially the contribution of Aurelio Peccei, the founder of the Club of Rome and an inspiration behind The limits to growth. To set the scene, the auth or shows how Italian futures studies absorbed technocratic and visionary id eas from prospective studies in France, particularly those of Bertrand de J ouvenel and Gaston Berger. The author explains Aurelio Peccei's role in pro moting Limits and the Club of Rome. She reflects also on her own personal i nvolvement with Peccei, as a friend, as member of the Club of Rome, and as a long-standing participant in the Italian and worldwide futures movement. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.