"Rewriting and redefining Utopia; minorities' perfect existence or ultimate destruction"

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dc.contributor.advisorHambridge, Joanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLe Grange, Jason Johnen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-10-02T13:16:09Z
dc.date.available2014-10-02T13:16:09Z
dc.date.issued2004en_ZA
dc.description.abstractUtopia as a construct within an ideology offers minority groups a feasible space from which to negotiate an identity within a dominant discourse. Continuing human atrocities have led to a âspiral of oppressionâ, in which oppression continues, never resolving itself and never diminishing, but rather moving away from the utopian space within the centre. As the dominant discourse is threatened by the minority, minority groups are placed spatially, within this spiral of oppression into a marginal position called the âuniversal minorityâ, from which they have to negotiate with the dominant discourse, the âuniversal majorityâ, however unsuccessfully. Science fiction and utopian writing offer spaces in which minority groups can break through the âspiral of oppressionâ and negotiate directly with the dominant discourse. Trends in these two genres reveal which group is visioned as the âuniversal minorityâ, and the plight of the minority is highlighted in the alternative reality of these genres. Race (focussing on Hispanic discourse) and Sexuality (focussing on viable spaces for alternative sexuality) are two areas which are explored in this thesis as visions of the universal minority. Moreover, to understand the spiral of oppression, the Holocaust is reflected upon from a minority perspective, and literary responses as well as issues of post-holocaust compensation are addressed, reflecting the nature of the universal majority and universal minority. Finally, Utopia is often considered an unrealistic construct which cannot be attained by any legitimate agency other than an oligarchist regime or a strict governing body, which could lead to tyranny. Agency therefore is problematic; however, it will be argued that, even if full Utopia is not reached, the spiral of oppression can be broken and a utopian bridge of opportunity created through an idea of Brechtâs called Verfremdungseffekt (prompting self-awareness), using the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission as an example of a vehicle for this agency. The agency then becomes the awareness, which leads to the direct negotiation with the dominant discourse.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationLe Grange, J. J. (2004). <i>"Rewriting and redefining Utopia; minorities' perfect existence or ultimate destruction"</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of English Language and Literature. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7970en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationLe Grange, Jason John. <i>""Rewriting and redefining Utopia; minorities' perfect existence or ultimate destruction"."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of English Language and Literature, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7970en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationLe Grange, J. 2004. "Rewriting and redefining Utopia; minorities' perfect existence or ultimate destruction". University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Le Grange, Jason John AB - Utopia as a construct within an ideology offers minority groups a feasible space from which to negotiate an identity within a dominant discourse. Continuing human atrocities have led to a &amp;amp;amp;acirc;spiral of oppression&amp;amp;amp;acirc;, in which oppression continues, never resolving itself and never diminishing, but rather moving away from the utopian space within the centre. As the dominant discourse is threatened by the minority, minority groups are placed spatially, within this spiral of oppression into a marginal position called the &amp;amp;amp;acirc;universal minority&amp;amp;amp;acirc;, from which they have to negotiate with the dominant discourse, the &amp;amp;amp;acirc;universal majority&amp;amp;amp;acirc;, however unsuccessfully. Science fiction and utopian writing offer spaces in which minority groups can break through the &amp;amp;amp;acirc;spiral of oppression&amp;amp;amp;acirc; and negotiate directly with the dominant discourse. Trends in these two genres reveal which group is visioned as the &amp;amp;amp;acirc;universal minority&amp;amp;amp;acirc;, and the plight of the minority is highlighted in the alternative reality of these genres. Race (focussing on Hispanic discourse) and Sexuality (focussing on viable spaces for alternative sexuality) are two areas which are explored in this thesis as visions of the universal minority. Moreover, to understand the spiral of oppression, the Holocaust is reflected upon from a minority perspective, and literary responses as well as issues of post-holocaust compensation are addressed, reflecting the nature of the universal majority and universal minority. Finally, Utopia is often considered an unrealistic construct which cannot be attained by any legitimate agency other than an oligarchist regime or a strict governing body, which could lead to tyranny. Agency therefore is problematic; however, it will be argued that, even if full Utopia is not reached, the spiral of oppression can be broken and a utopian bridge of opportunity created through an idea of Brecht&amp;amp;amp;acirc;s called Verfremdungseffekt (prompting self-awareness), using the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission as an example of a vehicle for this agency. The agency then becomes the awareness, which leads to the direct negotiation with the dominant discourse. DA - 2004 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2004 T1 - "Rewriting and redefining Utopia; minorities' perfect existence or ultimate destruction" TI - "Rewriting and redefining Utopia; minorities' perfect existence or ultimate destruction" UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7970 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/7970
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationLe Grange JJ. "Rewriting and redefining Utopia; minorities' perfect existence or ultimate destruction". [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of English Language and Literature, 2004 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7970en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of English Language and Literatureen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherLiterary Criticismen_ZA
dc.title"Rewriting and redefining Utopia; minorities' perfect existence or ultimate destruction"en_ZA
dc.typeDoctoral Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoral
dc.type.qualificationnamePhDen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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