Dystopian Imagination: Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue

Abstract

This special issue, Shapes of Dystopia, comprises nine research papers that explore dystopian
imagination as a critical framework for interpreting contemporary social, political, ecological, and
technological realities. Originating from the inaugural international conference held in Rzeszów in 2024, the volume approaches dystopia not merely as a literary genre, but as an analytical lens embedded in lived experience and philosophical inquiry. The contributions investigate dystopian narratives across literature, film, and digital culture, examining themes such as surveillance, migration, environmental collapse, gendered oppression, digital precarity, neuroculture, and posthuman identity. Collectively, the issue highlights the continued relevance of dystopian studies for understanding crisis, power, and speculative futures.