Utopias, dystopias, and the creation of worlds game

Abstract

This article ponders on the meaning of utopia today, starting from the original understanding of the term in the 16th century and, in an interface with literature and cinema, traces its transformations throughout time as well as its meaning in the present days, when utopias are thought through a strategy of inversion that results in the notorious dystopias. At the same time, the historical, aesthetic and cultural context in which the utopian experiences were proposed is considered, taking into account their meanings before and after the creation of the word by Thomas More in his homonymous work. Lastly, the article presents a final reflection on the place and the political role of utopia in the contemporary world, based on a philosophical paradigm committed to social changes.