Dystopia(n) Matters: On the Page, on Screen, on Stage

Description

The volume is divided into two parts, separated by an Intermezzo. The first part, Dystopia Matters, benefits from the contribution of reputed scholars of the field of Utopian Studies, who were asked to make a statement explaining why dystopia is important. The Intermezzo completes this part and offers the reader an informed discussion of the concepts of utopia, dystopia and anti-utopia whilst providing ground for the case studies presented in the second part, in the sections devoted to literature, film, and theatre. In one way or another, despite the variety of approaches, all contributors argue for the idea that, if dystopia has invaded most forms of contemporary discourse, its sibling, utopia, has not been eradicated from the scene. Furthermore, the studies show that the tension between the two concepts is instrumental to our cautious, conscious, and tentative construction of the future. COVER TITLE PAGE COPYRIGHT PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PART I DO DYSTOPIAS MATTER? THREE VARIANTS ON THE CONCEPT OF DYSTOPIA UTOPIA’S SHADOW DYSTOPIA, UTOPIA AND SANCHO PANZA WHY DYSTOPIA MATTERS DYSTOPIA IS YOU DYSTOPIAS DO MATTER STEP INTO THE STORY… LIVING IN DYSTOPIA DARKNESS AND LIGHT BIODYSTOPIAS MATTER ANTI-COMMUNIST DYSTOPIAS ON DESERTIFICATION AND THE REDEMPTIVE POWERS OF LANGUAGE UTOPIA, DYSTOPIA AND SATIRE DYSTOPIA AND GLOBAL UTOPIAS DYSTOPIA MATTERS THOUGHTS ON DYSTOPIA, FROM NEW LANARK INTERMEZZO HELL UPON A HILL PART II DYSTOPIA ON THE PAGE “WORDS THAT ARE LOST” DYSTOPIA AS POST-ENLIGHTENMENT CRITIQUE IN GEORGE ORWELL’S NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR TOTALITARIANISM AS LIBERAL NIGHTMARE ON THE MARGIN OF DYSTOPIA CLASHING TONES, HARMONISING CONCEPTS SACRIFICE MATTERS DENOUNCING SOCIAL UTOPIA FROM WITHIN DYSTOPIA ON SCREEN DYSTOPIANISING THE DYSTOPIAN “COMPARISONS ARE ODIOUS” BETWEEN A FAIRY TALE AND A CAUTIONARY TALE DYSTOPIAN LOOP IN DAVID CRONENBERG’S VIDEODROME EQUILIBRIUM “NOTHING EVER ENDS” DYSTOPIA ON STAGE A NEGATIVE UTOPIA? THE DRAMATISATION OF FUTURELESS WORLDS THEATRICAL UTOPIA IN MARK RAVENHILL’S SHOOT/GET TREASURE/REPEAT AND IN ITS TURKISH ADAPTATION