In their latest blog post “Queuing for Utopia: The Expo Script at Work in Osaka 2025”, Jessica Gienow-Hecht and Lesar Yurtsever share field insights and reflections from this year’s Osaka Expo. Under the theme “Designing Future Societies for Our Lives”, more than 150 countries showcased their visions for the future—through architecture, technology, and culture.

• The authors introduce the concept of the “Expo Script”, (a term coined by Jessica Gienow-Hecht) a recurring pattern shaping World Expos since 1851:

• Nation Branding: Expos give states a unique opportunity to shape their image and communicate their vision of progress.

• Ideological Divides: Liberal democracies tend to emphasize sustainability and innovation in their public narratives, whereas authoritarian regimes often invest in imagery grounded in tradition and cultural heritage.

• Critiques and Constraints: Behind the spectacle lie questions of budget, interest, authenticity, and environmental responsibility.

• A Utopian Stage: Beyond competition, Expos invite us to imagine an ideal world—briefly realized through global collaboration and creativity.

Read the full article here