Allotopia — An Introduction to The Genre Cover Image

Allotopia — wprowadzenie do poetyki gatunku
Allotopia — An Introduction to The Genre

Author(s): Krzysztof M. Maj
Subject(s): Literary Texts
Published by: Łódzkie Towarzystwo Naukowe
Keywords: allotopia; fantasy; SF; worldbuilding; xenology; xenotopography

Summary/Abstract: The article is the first Polish attempt to provide a theoretical framework for a relatively unknown term ‘allotopia’, coined by Umberto Eco in essay Il mondi della fantascienza. However, instead of following rather poststructuralist Eco’s reasoning, the text proceeds with the deconstruction of the underlain dichotomy between real (natural, ordinary, known, empirical, realistic) and unreal (unnatural, extraordinary, unknown, counterempirical, fantastic) world — which is subsequently exposed as fundamental for heretofore fantasy and SF studies. Consequently, the paper encourages postmodern reading of those ‘allotopian’ texts that resign from supporting a colonial, two-world model in favour of philosophy conscious worldbuilding.

  • Issue Year: 57/2014
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 89-105
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: Polish