Aspirations for a better - even a perfect - society have existed throughout history, often imagined in intricate detail by philosophers, poets, social reformers, architects and artists. This book explores a perennially powerful idea: the quest for the ideal society.
Gregory Claeys surveys the influence of the idea of Utopia on history. Central to his exploration of ideal worlds are creation myths; archetypes of heaven and the afterlife; new worlds and voyages of discovery; ages of revolution and technological progress; model communities and kibbutzim; political and ecological dystopias; space travel and science fiction. The most significant utopias throughout history - whether envisaged or attempted - are covered, including visions of the ideal society in the West as well as American, Asian, African and the Arab worlds.
From classical times to the present day, this compelling book traces the enduring human need to imagine and construct ideal worlds.
By:
Gregory Claeys
Imprint: Thames & Hudson
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 198mm,
Width: 129mm,
Weight: 220g
ISBN: 9780500295526
ISBN 10: 0500295522
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 09 March 2020
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
The Search for Utopia • The Classical Age • Christian Archetypes • Extra-European Visions of the Ideal Society • Thomas More’s Utopia • Voyages of Discovery to the New World and Beyond • The Age of Defoe and Swift • Revolution and Enlightenment • Ideal Cities: Medieval to Modern • Utopia as Community: From Shakers to Hippies • Socialism, Communism and Anarchism • Rationalism, Technology and Modernity as Utopia • The Emergence of Science Fiction • Varieties of Dystopia: Totalitarianism and After • Utopia, Science Fiction and Film: The Final Frontier • Conclusion: Paradise Lost?
Reviews for Utopia: The History of an Idea
'Magisterial' - BBC History Magazine 'Full and fast-moving' - Herald 'Well-informed and penetrating' - Irish Catholic 'This excellent survey of the utopian impulse ... has one obvious lesson, dreaming of a better world is one thing, putting it into practice, quite another' - Choice
