Utopia by Thomas More (Close Reading)

The Oxford English Dictionary defines utopia as “An imagined or hypothetical place, system, or state of existence in which everything is perfect, esp. in respect of social structure, laws, and politics.” This term, now used in common parlance, was first used by Thomas More in his highly influential text where he dreams of a society free from the grievances of his social reality. Although the properties of an “ideal” society have been debated and defined for millennia, Utopia remains one of the most controversial and provocative texts of moral and political philosophy to this day. Was Thomas More writing satirically, sincerely, or somewhere in between? How was his writing influenced by his era of history? What can we salvage for our own lives?

Join us to wrestle with these questions and more in our close reading of the text. We encourage you to read this short, often humorous, philosophical work (just over 100 pages!) which is linked below. If you would like to do some optional supplemental reading, we will also briefly discuss China Mieville’s introduction to the work, “The Limits of Utopia,” which examines the utopian ideal in relation to the current threat of environmental collapse.

Resources:
Utopia by Thomas More (Free ebook in multiple formats): https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2130

Additional formats–
Free Audiobook on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EtVh6PzhDo&list=PLem69QzJ9ze-1csFJxAf8-b6k3Iw_Q-wR
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (physical copy): http://cmlibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S235C372129

The copy the moderator will be using from Verso (physical or ebook):
https://www.versobooks.com/products/344-utopia?srsltid=AfmBOoquvrsJszsXJqjpXHCYPVVYpnBEwI_euIx78ul1IUWdLSorfO9E

Optional Reading:
“The Limits of Utopia” by China Mieville (free online article): https://climateandcapitalism.com/2018/03/02/china-mieville-the-limits-of-utopia/