Description
Australia has a fascinating
history of visions. As the antipode to Europe, the continent has
provided a radically different and uniquely fertile ground for
envisioning places, spaces and societies. 'The Antipodal Utopia'
evaluates this complex intellectual history by mapping out how Western
visions of Australia evolved from antiquity to the modern period, with
particular focus on the long nineteenth century. The book is underpinned
by the provocative argument that due to its unique 'antipodality' (its
antipodal relationship with Europe), Australia is imagined as a
particular form of utopia - but since one person's utopia is, more often
than not, another's dystopia, Australia's utopian quality is both
complex and highly ambiguous. Drawing on the rich field of utopian
studies, 'The Antipodal Utopia' provides an original and insightful
study of Australia's place in the Western imagination and makes
meaningful conceptual and analytical contributions to the fields of
utopian theory, Australian studies and intellectual history.
About the Author
Daniel Hempel holds a PhD in
English literature from the University of New South Wales, Sydney,
Australia, and an MA in European literature from the Humboldt University
of Berlin, Germany. He is interested in the various ways in which
utopian thinking structures our perception of the world.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Bill Ashcroft;
Introduction; Arcadia Australis; The Civilising Mission; Antipodal
Inversion; The Antipodal Uncanny; Antipodal Monstrosity; Conclusion;
Index.