The Society for Utopian Studies (founded 1975) is a North American interdisciplinary association devoted to the study of
utopianism
A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia'', describing a fictional island society ...
in all its forms, with a particular emphasis on literary and experimental utopias.
Publications
The Society publishes ''
Utopian Studies
''Utopian Studies'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes articles on utopias and utopianism. The journal is published twice a year by the Penn State University Press on behalf of the Society for Utopian Studies. The Editor is Nicol ...
'', an international triannual peer-reviewed journal, containing scholarly articles on a wide range of subjects related to utopias, utopianism, utopian literature, utopian theory, and intentional communities. The journal's founding editor was
Lyman Tower Sargent
Lyman Tower Sargent (born 9 February 1940) is an American academic, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Sargent's main academic interests are in utopian studies, political theory, American studies and ...
.
It also publishes a regular newsletter, ''Utopus Discovered''.
Conferences
The Society has organized a series of annual conferences:
*2022: Charleston, South Carolina.
*2021: The 2021 conference was scheduled to be held at Austin, Texas, but was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
*2020: The 2020 conference was scheduled to be held at Charleston, South Carolina, but was cancelled as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
*2019: Michigan State University, East Lansing.
*2018: Berkeley, California.
*2017: Memphis, Tennessee.
*2016: St Petersburg, FL.
*2015: Pittsburgh, PA.
*2014: Montréal, Québec.
*2013: College of Charleston, South Carolina.
*2012: Toronto, Ontario.
*2011: Stage College, PA.
*2010: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
*2009: Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
*2008: Portland, Maine.
*2007: Toronto, Ontario.
*2006: Colorado Springs, Colorado.
*2005: Memphis, Tennessee.
*2004: Toronto, Ontario.
*2003: San Diego, California.
*2002: Orlando, Florida.
*2001: Buffalo, NY.
*2000: Vancouver, B.C.
*1999: San Antonio, Texas.
*1997: Memphis, Tennessee.
*1996: Nashville, Tennessee.
*1995: Toronto, Ontario.
*1994: Toronto, Ontario.
*1993: University of Missouri-St Louis.
*1992: Baltimore, Maryland
*1991: Las Vegas, Nevada.
*1990: Lexington, KY.
*1989: Asilomar Conference Ctr., Pacific Grove, California.
*1988: Emerson College, Boston, Mass.
*1987: Pennsylvania State University, Delaware County.
*1986: Asilomar Conference Ctr., Pacific Grove, California.
*1985: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
*1984: University of Missouri-St Louis.
*1983: Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
*1982: University of New Brunswick.
*1981: Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg.
*1980: Pennsylvania State University.
*1979: University of Colorado-Denver.
*1978: Pennsylvania State University.
*1977: University of Michigan.
*1976: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
The 2023 conference is scheduled to be held at Austin, Texas.
Awards
The Society sponsors a number of awards:
*The Arthur O. Lewis Award for the best paper by a younger scholar.
*The Eugenio Battisti Award for the best article in the previous year's ''Utopian Studies''.
*The Kenneth M. Roemer Innovative Course Design Award for innovative course design in utopian studies.
*The Larry E. Hough Distinguished Service Award.
*The Lyman Tower Sargent Award for Distinguished Scholarship.
The Lyman Tower Sargent Award for Distinguished Scholarship
Recipients:
*2017:
Phillip E. Wegner
*2013: Vita Fortunati and
Darko Suvin
Darko Ronald Suvin (born Darko Šlesinger) is a Yugoslav-born academic, writer and critic who became a professor (now emeritusDavid JohnstonConvocation: Honorary degrees and emeritus professorships McGill Reporter, Volume 33, No. 05, November ...
*2012:
Ruth Levitas
Ruth Levitas (born 15 May 1949 in London) is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Bristol. She is well known internationally for her research on utopia and utopian studies.
Her book, ''The Concept of Utopia'' (19 ...
*2010:
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the '' Earthsea'' fantasy series. She was ...
and Peter Fitting
*2009:
Fredric Jameson
Fredric Jameson (born April 14, 1934) is an American literary critic, philosopher and Marxist political theorist. He is best known for his analysis of contemporary cultural trends, particularly his analysis of postmodernity and capitalism. Jam ...
*2008:
Tom Moylan and Ken Roemer
*2002:
Gregory Claeys
*1997:
Lyman Tower Sargent
Lyman Tower Sargent (born 9 February 1940) is an American academic, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Sargent's main academic interests are in utopian studies, political theory, American studies and ...
References
External links
Society for Utopian Studies
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Organizations established in 1975
Learned societies of the United States
Literary societies
Utopian studies