HERSTORY MONTH FEMINIST SF/UTOPIA'S

A Perfect World or an Oppressive World:

A Critical Study of Utopia and Dystopia as Subgenres of Science Fiction

Synopsis

In this article, I investigate the concept of utopia and dystopia in literature since the time of
Plato and Thomas More and how it became a significant subgenre of science fiction. I
present the kinds of utopia and its fundamental purposes as well as the different explanations for the term utopia and dystopia by numerous critics. I stress the function of science fiction as a literary tool to depict the grim picture and the weaknesses of current societies, dystopias, and to provide a warning for the future of these societies by presenting alternative peaceful societies; utopias. Therefore, I seek to investigate how utopian writings play a central role in uncovering the shortcomings of societies and presenting a formative criticism towards them.

I also discuss how utopia and dystopia give women the chance to present their feminist
demands using science fiction.

Key Words: Utopia, Dystopia, Science fiction, Feminism