Microdystopias - by Asbjørn Grønstad & Lene M Johannessen (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

In contrast to classic dystopia's manifestations of world-shattering and -changing events, Microdystopias: Aesthetics and Ideologies in a Broken Moment introduces and develops the idea of microdystopia as the emerging genre for our times of imperceptibly shrinking horizons of possibilities in relation to film, series, and literature.

Review Quotes

"Have we become exhausted by mass culture's indulgence in exorbitant spectacles of apocalyptic destruction and civilizational collapse, and turned instead to more modest and nuanced portrayals of the on-going "microdystopias" of everyday life? This scintillating collection of essays by a team of astute Norwegian cultural critics makes a strong case for the transition from fearing the world will end with a bang to experiencing it as an endless series of desperate whimpers."

Microdystopias, as defined by the editors, are the "emerging genre of our times" and consist of the small and incremental "everyday encroachments on our horizons" brought about by the polarization of politics and class, the climate crisis, "cybernetic totalism," neoliberalism, the pandemic, capitalism, and other societal ills (p. 4). The ten chapters by scholars of various disciplines from two Norwegian universities explore and develop the concept of microdystopias through the lens of popular culture. Recommended. Graduate students and faculty.

About the Author

Asbjørn Grønstad is professor of visual culture in the Department of Information Science and Media Studies, University of Bergen.
Lene M. Johannessen is professor of American literature in the Department of Foreign Languages, University of Bergen.