Political Theory, Science Fiction, and Utopian Literature
Subtitle: Ursula K. Le Guin and The Dispossessed
By: Tony Burns.
Publisher: Lexington Books
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Lanham, USA
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 319
ISBN-13: 9780739122822
Copyright date: 2008
Subjects: Le Guin, Ursula K., -- 1929-; Le Guin, Ursula K., -- 1929- -- Criticism and interpretation.; Le Guin, Ursula K., -- 1929- -- Political and social views.; Science fiction, American -- History and criticism.; Science fiction, English -- History and criticism.; Political fiction, American -- History and criticism.; Political fiction, English -- History and criticism.; Utopias in literature.; Politics in literature.
Description: 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.

(Source: [Rowman & Littlefield](https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739122839/Political-Theory-Science-Fiction-and-Utopian-Literature-Ursula-K-Le-Guin-and-The-Dispossessed))
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 289-310) and index.
Table of contents: title: Acknowledgments
pagenum: ix; label: 1
title: Introduction
pagenum: 1; label: 2
title: Science Fiction and the History of Utopian Literature: H. G. Wells, Zamyatin, and Le Guin
pagenum: 19; label: 3
title: Le Guin’s Dialectical Approach to Questions of Philosophy and Politics
pagenum: 55; label: 4
title: Science and Progress in the Writings of Zamyatin and Le Guin
pagenum: 81; label: 5
title: Le Guin’s The Dispossessed and Utopian Literature
pagenum: 113; label: 6
title: Politics and Literature in the Writings of Le Guin
pagenum: 153; label: 7
title: Ethics in the Writings of Ursula K. Le Guin
pagenum: 181; label: 8
title: Anarchist Politics in Zamyatin and Le Guin
pagenum: 217; label: 9
title: Conservatism in the Writings of Le Guin
pagenum: 241; label: 10
title: Conclusion: Le Guin’s Relevance for Political Theory Today
pagenum: 267; title: Bibliography
pagenum: 289; title: Index
pagenum: 311; title: About the Author
pagenum: 319