Is a perfect world actually the stuff of nightmares?
A new podcast co-hosted by a University of Winchester academic looks at the differing depictions of Utopias and Dystopias in fiction and film.
Matthew Leggatt, Senior Lecturer in English and American Literature, presents the podcast with self-confessed ‘dystopia junkie’ Liam Knight of the University of Birmingham.
The series looks to challenge popular misconceptions such as the belief that utopias are necessarily dull and that dystopias are more exciting.
Co-presenter Matthew Leggatt
“Often what is presented as a utopia turns out to be a vision of dystopia,” said Matthew. “Utopias are often mis-characterised as places of perfection and, therefore, as static worlds where nothing ever changes and people are pacified. A real utopia, however, would be a dynamic world.”
In the first episode Matthew and Liam interview Raffaella Baccolini, Professor of American Literature and Gender Studies at the University of Bologna, and chat about what "utopia" means to her.
They discuss her love of Margaret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's Tale; and her recent work on Ursula K. Le Guin's The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas and N. K. Jemisin's The Ones Who Stay and Fight.
Appearing in the second show is the University of Winchester’s Dr Daniel Varndell, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English and Creative Writing, who talks about the relationship between utopia and film.
Several of the experts to be interviewed have contributed essays to a new collection entitled Wastelands and Wonderlands: Essays on Utopian and Dystopian Film and Literature, edited by Matthew, which is due to be published next year by SUNY Press.
He has also written a monograph for Liverpool University Press called Play in Utopian and Dystopian Fiction, which is set for publication in 2025/26.
Matthew and Liam, who creates videos for GCSE and A Level texts, met after following each other on Twitter.
A few years ago the pair made a video for Liam’s YouTube channel which can still be seen at What is a Dystopia? ft. Dr Matthew Leggatt (youtube.com).
You can follow the Utopian and Dystopian Fictions podcast through Spotify HERE or, to find out more, email utopiananddystopianfictions@gmail.com.
Pictured top: A scene from The Handmaid's Tale, one of the dystopian works discussed in the new podcast.
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