Learning Outcomes
Sufficient knowledge of the historical trajectory of the English and American literary utopian traditions.
Sufficient knowledge of the historical and cultural contexts out of which the selected texts have emerged.
Good understanding of the differences characterizing the utopian and dystopian visions of male and female writers (gender and/or race issues).
Good understanding of the contribution of such narratives to social change.
Course Content (Syllabus)
The course focuses on utopian and dystopian (anti-utopian) visions in English and American literature. Besides providing a brief history of the literary utopian tradition, the course studies a range of texts written by English and American male and female writers during different historical periods and within different cultural contexts. It approaches the chosen texts from a critical perspective and tries to illuminate the historical, ideological, and political factors that have contributed to the construction of these narratives. It also explores their ideas about social and political regimes and examines their contribution to social thought and social change.
Keywords
utopia, dystopia, English and American literature, political visions, social change