Seminar 10:
Utopia and Society: Strategies for Change in a Context of Crisis
Fátima Vieira (Porto)
TOPIC DESCRIPTION
This seminar will move from the consideration of Thomas More’s Utopia within the context of Europe in the 16th century to the study of the way utopianism is being devised nowadays as a strategy to overcome the global economic crisis we are experiencing. It thus links both to the theme of the Intensive Programme and to its main goals by dealing with identity issues and by reflecting on the validity of the utopian Early Modern response to the problems and conflicts that have been afflicting Europe over the centuries.
During the seminar the students will be familiarised with the conceptual tools of Spatiality Studies in order examine the way the utopian message was conveyed by More in the 16th century and the way it is being conveyed today. The students will also be confronted with different aspects of contemporary utopianism, which will hopefully be at the basis of the research they are to make for their Power Point presentations. They will further be invited to deal with different utopian objects, such as films, public art and political statements and documents.
READING LIST
Session1:
1. The concept of Utopia.
a. Utopia and other ideal communities
b. Utopia and science-fiction
c. The end of utopia?
d. Utopianism today
2. Thomas More’s Utopia
a. Utopia’s Europe and Britain
b. Utopia’s paratext
c. Thomas More, the author and Thomas More, the narrator
d. The third book
Reading: Thomas More’s, Utopia
Anthology A containing different texts to be read by different students (see assignments on Moodle)
Session 2:
1. Spatiality Studies
a. Space and place
b. The concept of heterotopia
c. Geographic, social and mental spaces
2. A spatiality studies reading of Thomas More’s Utopia
Reading:
Anthology B containing different texts to be read by different students (see assignment on Moodle)
Session 3:
1. Spaces of utopia, strategies for overcoming the crisis
a. critical dystopianism, hyperutopianism, ecotopianism and science fiction;
b. utopianism & feminism; utopianism & education;
c. intentional and virtual communities.
2. Utopian objects
Reading:
Anthology C containing different texts to be read by different students (see assignment on Moodle)
ASSESSMENT
The first seminar grade expresses the activity in the seminar discussion. It can range from 0 to 10, the pass limit is 5. The second seminar grade assesses the quality of paper proposals (300 words minimum), the share of the student in the preparation of the final presentation, its contents and standard. It can range from 0 to 15, the pass limit is 8. The final essay grade is expressed in points from 0 to 30, the pass limit is 15. Deadline for the submission of the essay: 15 July 2013. Length of the essay: 3000-4000 words. The maximum number of points acquired for the 2 seminars and an essay is 80 (25+25+30).
For the participation in a workshop 5 points are acquired (10 points for two workshops). For the the submission of an internship application 5 points are acquired and 10 points fort the shortlisting for the internship.
