Political Theory, Science Fiction, and Utopian Literature: Ursula K. Le Guin and The Dispossessed

— —

Tony Burns

Political Theory, Science Fiction, and Utopian Literature

Ursula K. Le Guin and The Dispossessed

Tony Burns

$99.99

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

MISCELLANEOUS
19 February 2010

Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed is of interest to political theorists partly because of its association with anarchism and partly because it is thought to represent a turning point in the history of utopian/dystopian political thought and literature and of science fiction. Published in 1974, it marked a revival of utopianism after decades of dystopian writing. According to this widely accepted view The Dispossessed represents a new kind of literary utopia, which Tom Moylan calls a ""critical utopia.""

The present work challenges this reading of The Dispossessed and its place in the histories of utopian/dystopian literature and science fiction. It explores the difference between traditional literary utopia and novels and suggests that The Dispossessed is not a literary utopia but a novel about utopianism in politics. Le Guin's concerns have more to do with those of the novelists of the 19th century writing in the tradition of European Realism than they do with the science fiction or utopian literature. It also claims that her theory of the novel has an affinity with the ancient Greek tragedy. This implies that there is a conservatism in Le Guin's work as a creative writer, or as a novelist, which fits uneasily with her personal commitment to anarchism.

By: Tony Burns
Imprint: MISCELLANEOUS
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 231mm, Width: 154mm, Spine: 24mm
Weight: 485g
ISBN: 9780739122839
ISBN 10: 0739122835
Publication Date: 19 February 2010
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , A / AS level , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for Political Theory, Science Fiction, and Utopian Literature: Ursula K. Le Guin and The Dispossessed

Burns offers a meticulously researched book that makes a somewhat maverick contribution. Science Fiction Studies, March 2009 Perhaps the most detailed and certainly one of the most widely researched studies yet done on Le Guin's masterpiece. -- Carl Freedman The Dispossessed may well be the most widely read book in the United States to seriously approach the question of what an anarchist society might look like!.Both of these volumes are solid pieces of scholarship, well grounded in the relevant literature!.Students of utopian studies would find both rewarding. Anarcho-Syndicalist Review, Spring 2011