Dodging Dystopia

Is Dystopia a bleaker and less optimistic genre? Given its non-literary, empirical dimension, dystopia fits the new era of neo-liberalism, religious fundamentalism, climate change and emerging new feudalism. Yet is it essentially “anti -utopia” or “negative utopia”? This edited volume presents a variety of essays on the perennial theme of dystopia, of living dystopian and dodging dystopia. The COVID-19 pandemic has made us see through a bleak, dismal and disconsolate world. The pervasive sense of anxiety and disillusionment the pandemic has ensued, has transcended all identifiable limits. Introducing this book is a critical essay on the timeless theme of dystopia, from the context of the present pandemic where we dare to “hope against hope” and put up a brave fight against the “unnameable virus”. Notable works discussed include A Clockwork Orange, Animal Farm, Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Handmaid's Tale, The Scarlet Plague, Never Let Me Go, Zoo, All Quiet in Vikaspuri, The Martian, V for Vendetta and others. Dystopia warns us about the possible outcomes of our present society. We hope this book will facilitate readers to think critically about classical dystopian texts, about our societies, about the importance of maintaining the utopian dimension of self-reflexive, political and critical dystopias.