LibGuides: Dystopias & Utopias: Utopias

Definition

Utopia: A place, state, or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics, laws, customs, and conditions.

Infrogmation of New Orleans, "Bansky Raingirl Corner." 28 August 2008. Infrogmation of New Orleans' flickr gallery. 19 January 2016.<https://www.flickr.com/photos/29350288@N06/2817595644>. Image above has been cropped.

Contemporary Utopias

Real Utopia by Chris Spannos (Editor)
ISBN: 9781904859789
Publication Date: 2008-05-01
What if we had direct control over our daily lives? What if society's defining institutions--those encompassing economics, politics, kinship, culture, community, and ecology--were based not on competition, individual ownership, and coercion, but on self-management, equity, solidarity, and diversity?Real Utopia identifies and obliterates the barriers to an egalitarian, bottom-up society, while convincingly outlining how to build it. Instead of simply declaring "another world is possible," the writers in this collection engage with what that world would look like, how it would function, and how our commitment to just outcomes is related to the sort of institutions we maintain. Topics include: participatory economics, political vision, education, architecture, artists in a free society, environmentalism, work after capitalism, and poly-culturalism. The catchall phrase here is "participatory society"--one that is directly democratic and seeks institutional solutions to complex sociological and economic questions.
The Utopia Reader, Second Edition by Gregory Claeys (Editor); Lyman Tower Sargent (Editor)
ISBN: 147986465X
Publication Date: 2017-02-14
"The Utopia Reader compiles primary texts from a variety of authors and movements in the history of theorizing utopia. Prominent writers and scholars across history have long explored how or why to envision different ways of life. The volume includes texts from classical Greek literature, the Old Testament, and Plato's Republic, to Sir Thomas More's Utopia, to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and beyond. By balancing well-known and obscure examples, the text provides a comprehensive and definitive collection of the various ways Utopias have been conceived throughout history and how Utopian ideals have served as criticisms of existing sociocultural conditions.
Archaeologies of the Future by Fredric Jameson
ISBN: 1844675386
Publication Date: 2007-04-17
Last Utopians by Michael Robertson
ISBN: 0691154163
Publication Date: 2018-05-29
Utopia in Postcolonial Literature by Bill Ashcroft
ISBN: 1138187801
Publication Date: 2016-11-08
Hope Isn't Stupid by Sean Austin Grattan
ISBN: 1609385217
Publication Date: 2017-10-01
The Utopian Globalists by Jonathan Harris
ISBN: 1405193018
Publication Date: 2013-02-25
"An innovative history and critical account mapping the ways artists and their works have engaged with, and offered commentary on, modern spectacle in both capitalist and socialist modernism over the past ninety years"
Bicycling to Utopia by Peter Day (Editor); Richard Catlow (Editor)
ISBN: 0198558953
Publication Date: 1995-11-23
"Every scientist has read one or more Utopian novels. The best known - Brave New World , The Shape of Things to Come , and even Planet of the Apes - have biological themes. They tell of a day when the human race will undergo genetic disaster because of the machinations of scientists. In Bicycling to Utopia , award-winning scientist Steve Jones looks at the future of human evolution from the perspective of current developments in human genetics. Together with other essays by experts in their fields, including Mary Archer, Alan Maynard, and Michael O'Shea, this is an authoritative and accessible summary of current thinking in many areas of science and technology.
Smart Cities by Anthony M. Townsend
ISBN: 0393349780
Publication Date: 2014-10-06
"An unflinching look at the aspiring city-builders of our smart, mobile, connected future. In Smart Cities, urbanist and technology expert Anthony Townsend takes a broad historical look at the forces that have shaped the planning and design of cities and information technologies from the rise of the great industrial cities of the nineteenth century to the present. A century ago, the telegraph and the mechanical tabulator were used to tame cities of millions. Today, cellular networks and cloud computing tie together the complex choreography of mega-regions of tens of millions of people."
Who Owns the Future? by Jaron Lanier
ISBN: 1451654979
Publication Date: 2014-03-04
"In this book the author, father of virtual reality, and one of the world's most brilliant thinkers evaluates the negative impact of digital network technologies on the economy and particularly the middle class, citing challenges to employment and personal wealth while exploring the potential of a new information economy. This is his visionary reckoning with the most urgent economic and social trend of our age: the poisonous concentration of money and power in our digital networks. He has predicted how technology will transform our humanity for decades. He shows how Siren Servers, which exploit big data and the free sharing of information, led our economy into recession, imperiled personal privacy, and hollowed out the middle class. The networks that define our world, including social media, financial institutions, and intelligence agencies, now threaten to destroy it. But there is an alternative. In this book he charts a path toward a brighter future: an information economy that rewards ordinary people for what they do and share on the web"
From Utopia to Apocalypse by Peter Y. Paik
ISBN: 0816650799
Publication Date: 2010-03-18
Searching for Utopia by Gregory Claeys
ISBN: 0500251746
Publication Date: 2011-05-01
"Explores the quest for a utopian society throughout history, including examinations of the catalysts that have served as inspiration, and how the search for a utopia by developed countries has hurt third-world countries"

Characteristics of Utopias

Characteristics of a Utopian Society

• Information, independent thought, and freedom are promoted.

• A figurehead or concept brings the citizens of the society together, but not treated as singular.

• Citizens are truly free to think independently.

• Citizens have no fear of the outside world.

• Citizens live in a harmonious state.

• The natural world is embraced and revered.

• Citizens embrace social and moral ideals. Individuality and innovation are welcomed.

• The society evolves with change to make a perfect utopian world.

Types of Utopian Ideas

Most utopian works present a world in which societal ideals and the common good of society are maintained through one or more of the following types of beliefs:

• Economic ideas: Money is abolished. Citizens only do work that they enjoy.

• Governing ideas: Society is controlled by citizenry in a largely individualist, communal, social and sometimes libertarian “government”. The term government is used loosely, as power is seen to corrupt, so constructed government systems are warned against.

• Technological ideas: In some cases, technology may be embraced to enhance the human living experience and make human life easier and more convenient. Other ideas propose that technology drives a wedge between humanity and nature, therefore becoming an evil to society.

Ecological ideas: Back to the nature, humans live harmoniously with nature and reverse the effects of industrialization.

• Philosophical/religious ideas: Society believes in a common religious philosophy, some fashion their surroundings around the biblical Garden of Eden. In inter-religious utopias, all ideas of God are welcomed. In intra-religious utopias, a singular idea of God is accepted and practiced by all citizens. The

Utopian Protagonist

• works to promote the ideals of society.

• questions the existing social and political systems with the aim to bring positive change.

• believes or feels that the society in which he or she lives is always getting better.

• helps the audience recognize the positive aspects of the utopian world through his or her perspective.

Classical Utopias

Utopia by Thomas More; Paul Turner (Translator, Introduction by)
ISBN: 0140441654
Publication Date: 1965-01-30
Sir Thomas More's entertaining description of Utopia, an island supporting a perfectly organized and happy people, was a best-seller when it first appeared in Latin in 1516. This work of a Catholic martyr has later been seen as the source of Ana-baptism, Mormonism, and even communism. Utopia revolutionized Plato's classical blueprint of the perfect republic, mainly by its realism. Locating his island in the (then) New World, More endowed it with a language and poetry, and detailed the length of the working day and even the divorce laws. Such precision gives a disturbing and exciting impact to Utopia, which still remains a book of the future.
The Republic by Plató
ISBN: 9781613820155
Publication Date: 2011-03-01
rom around 380 B.C., this classic work by famed Greek Philosopher Plato, is written in the form of a Socratic dialogue. Read for free on Project Gutenberg.
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx; Frederick Engels; Martin Malia (Introduction by)
ISBN: 0451527100
Publication Date: 1998-10-01
n 1848, two young men published what would become one of the defining documents of modern history. The Communist Manifesto, as it was called, rapidly realigned political faultlines all over the world, and its aftershock resonates to this day. In the 150 years since its publication, no other social program has inspired such divisive and violent debate. And the recent collapse of the first regime that embraced it calls for a new, retrospective interpretation of the Manifesto'sintent and impact.
Sir Francis Bacon: the New Atlantis by Francis Bacon
ISBN: 1451537638
Publication Date: 2010-03-08
The Shape of Things to Come by H. G. Wells
ISBN: 9781473333529
Publication Date: 2016-09-01
First published in 1933, “The Shape of Things to Come” is science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells. Within it, world events between 1933 and 2106 are speculated with a single superstate representing the solution to all humanity's problems.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
ISBN: 9780060850524
Publication Date: 2006-10-17
Aldous Huxley's profoundly important classic of world literature, Brave New World is a searching vision of an unequal, technologically-advanced future where humans are genetically bred, socially indoctrinated, and pharmaceutically anesthetized to passively uphold an authoritarian ruling order–all at the cost of our freedom, full humanity, and perhaps also our souls.
Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy
ISBN: 3849560066
Publication Date: 2013-08-01
"Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward (1888) is a thunderous indictment of industrial capitalism and a resplendent vision of life in a socialist utopia"
A Modern Utopia by David Kimhi; George Herbert Box; R. G. Finch
ISBN: 1909735272
Publication Date: 2013-11-01
Read the full text of A Modern Uotpia through Internet Archive.

Is Utopia always Dystopia?

Top Ten Futuristic movies

Environmental Utopias

Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach
ISBN: 0553348477
Publication Date: 1990-03-01
A novel both timely and prophetic, Ernest Callenbach’s Ecotopia is a hopeful antidote to the environmental concerns of today, set in an ecologically sound future society. Hailed by the Los Angeles Times as the “newest name after Wells, Verne, Huxley, and Orwell,” Callenbach offers a visionary blueprint for the survival of our planet . . . and our future. Ecotopia was founded when northern California, Oregon, and Washington seceded from the Union to create a “stable-state” ecosystem: the perfect balance between human beings and the environment. Now, twenty years later, this isolated, mysterious nation is welcoming its first officially sanctioned American visitor: New York Times-Post reporter Will Weston. Skeptical yet curious about this green new world, Weston is determined to report his findings objectively.
Climate Changed by Philippe Squarzoni; Nicole Whittington-Evans (Introduction by)
ISBN: 1419712551
Publication Date: 2014-04-08
What are the causes and consequences of climate change? When the scale is so big, can an individual make any difference? Documentary, diary, and masterwork graphic novel, this up-to-date look at our planet and how we live on it explains what global warming is all about. With the most complicated concepts made clear in a feat of investigative journalism by artist Philippe Squarzoni, Climate Changed weaves together scientific research, extensive interviews with experts, and a call for action. Weighing the potential of some solutions and the false promises of others, this groundbreaking work provides a realistic, balanced view of the magnitude of the crisis that An Inconvenient Truth only touched on.
The Earth Is My Mother by Bev Doolittle (Illustrator); Elise Maclay (As told to)
ISBN: 086713044X
Publication Date: 2000-01-04
An illustrated story about the relationship between a mother, a daughter, and the Earth.
Orleans by Sherri L. Smith
ISBN: 9780399252945
Publication Date: 2013-03-07
First came the storms. Then came the Fever. And the Wall. After a string of devastating hurricanes and a severe outbreak of Delta Fever, the Gulf Coast has been quarantined. Years later, residents of the Outer States are under the assumption that life in the Delta is all but extinct...but in reality, a new primitive society has been born. Fen de la Guerre is living with the O-Positive blood tribe in the Delta when they are ambushed. Left with her tribe leader's newborn, Fen is determined to get the baby to a better life over the wall before her blood becomes tainted. Fen meets Daniel, a scientist from the Outer States who has snuck into the Delta illegally.
The Islands at the End of the World by Austin Aslan
ISBN: 9780385744027
Publication Date: 2014-08-05
In this fast-paced survival story set in Hawaii, electronics fail worldwide, the islands become completely isolated, and a strange starscape fills the sky. Leilani and her father embark on a nightmare odyssey from Oahu to their home on the Big Island. Leilani's epilepsy holds a clue to the disaster, if only they can survive as the islands revert to earlier ways. A powerful story enriched by fascinating elements of Hawaiian ecology, culture, and warfare, this captivating and dramatic debut from Austin Aslan is the first of two novels. The author has a master's degree in tropical conservation biology from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Praise for Islands at the End of the World: "A riveting tale of belonging, family, overcoming perceived limitations, and finding a home."

Historical Utopias

Utopias in American History by Jyotsna Sreenivasan
ISBN: 9781598840520
Publication Date: 2008-10-24
An insightful look at the long tradition of communal societies in the United States from colonial times to the present, examining their ideological foundations, daily life, and relationships to mainstream American society. * 40 entries on specific utopian communal movements in American history, from the Puritans to the Amish to single-tax movement communities * 45 entries on special topics related to utopian life, including socialism, Bible-based communism, family roles, and leadership * 25 entries on important figures, including Robert Owen and Eberhard Arnold, and events such as the Branch Davidian disaster * A comparative chronology detailing the dates of existence of the utopias covered *
Utopian Impulse in Latin America by Kim Beauchesne (Editor); Alessandra Santos (Editor)
ISBN: 9780230103528
Publication Date: 2011-10-12
An exploration of the concept of utopia in Latin America from the earliest accounts of the New World to current cultural production, the carefully selected essays in this volume represent the latest research on the topic by some of the most important Latin Americanists working in North American academia today.
Spaces of Hope by David Harvey
ISBN: 0520225783
Publication Date: 2000-03-29
As the twentieth century drew to a close, the rich were getting richer; power was concentrating within huge corporations; vast tracts of the earth were being laid waste; three quarters of the earth's population had no control over its destiny and no claim to basic rights. There was nothing new in this. What was new was the virtual absence of any political will to do anything about it. Spaces of Hope takes issue with this. David Harvey brings an exciting perspective to two of the principal themes of contemporary social discourse: globalization and the body. Exploring the uneven geographical development of late-twentieth-century capitalism, and placing the working body in relation to this new geography, he finds in Marx's writings a wealth of relevant analysis and theoretical insight.
Marx by Peter Singer
ISBN: 9780192854056
Publication Date: 2001-01-18
Peter Singer identifies the central vision that unifies Marx's thought, enabling us to grasp Marx's views as a whole. He sees him as a philosopher primarily concerned with human freedom, rather than as an economist or a social scientist. He explains alienation, historical materialism, theeconomic theory of Capital, and Marx's ideas of communism, in plain English, and concludes with an assessment of Marx's legacy.
Everyday Utopias by Davina Cooper
ISBN: 0822355698
Publication Date: 2013-12-27
"Everyday utopias enact conventional activities in unusual ways. Instead of dreaming about a better world, participants seek to create it. As such, their activities provide vibrant and stimulating contexts for considering the terms of social life, of how we live together and are governed. Weaving conceptual theorizing together with social analysis, Davina Cooper examines utopian projects as seemingly diverse as a feminist bathhouse, state equality initiatives, community trading networks, and a democratic school where students and staff collaborate in governing. She draws from firsthand observations and interviews with participants to argue that utopian projects have the potential to revitalize progressive politics through the ways their innovative practices incite us to rethink mainstream concepts including property, markets, care, touch, and equality.
A Force More Powerful by Peter Ackerman; Jack Duvall
ISBN: 0312240503
Publication Date: 2001-10-05
"A Force More Powerful depicts how nonviolent sanctions - such as strikes, boycotts, and civil disobedience - can separate brutal regimes from their means of control. It reveals the inside stories of how ordinary people took extraordinary action and ended oppression, including the Danes' valiant resistance to the Nazis, Solidarity's defeat of Polish communism, civic action in Chile to remove a military dictator - and how nonviolent power continues to change the world today, from Burma to the Balkans. Filled with insights about compelling individuals - such as Mohandas Gandhi, the young African Americans who sparked the civil rights revolution, Lech Walesa, the mothers of the disappeared in Argentina - this book is a companion to a new PBS series and a feature-length documentary of the same name now at film festivals world wide.