Claeys, Gregory

Dystopia: A Natural History

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ISBN 13:: 9780198820475
author:: Claeys, Gregory
format:: Paperback
publisher:: Oxford University Press
language:: English
Publication Year:: 2018
Pages:: 576
Dimensions:: 23.3 x 15.4 x 3.2 centimetres (0
Genre:: History, World History, History,
Condition:: New
Availability:: Item usually sent within 10 working days

£42.70

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Description

Description

Dystopia: A Natural History explores the concept of dystopia in its broadest sense, encompassing both literary works and real-world despotisms. This comprehensive study redefines the central concepts and chronology of the genre, offering a fresh perspective on modern despotism. The book assesses the theory and prehistory of 'dystopia', examining how it differs from utopia in its emphasis on estrangement, fear, and the proliferation of 'enemy' categories. It also explores how emotions like fear and hatred are used by dystopian groups, tracing their roots back to early conceptions of monstrosity and the persecution of heresy. The study then surveys major dystopian moments in 20th-century despotisms, focusing on Nazi Germany, Stalinism, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and Cambodia under Pol Pot. Finally, it examines literary dystopias, starting with anti-Jacobin writings of the 1790s.

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