Retopia: Creating New Spaces of Possibility

Retopia explores how new imaginaries, social experiments, and laboratories of societies can create spaces of possibilities, revalidate the peripheries, and create new forms of social coherence. It focuses on the concept of 'retopia' - creating inclusive spaces of social innovation that encourage active participation. It uncovers the common links and limitations of utopian studies, future studies, degrowth, narratology, the commons, and political geography.

Format: Hardback
Length: 164 pages
Publication date: 22 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In times of crisis, Retopia delves into the realm of social innovation, pushing the boundaries of existing future anticipation methods. Through its interdisciplinary narrative, it goes beyond mere predictions and offers a practical approach to creating new realities. The book explores how emerging imaginaries, social experiments, and laboratories of societies can open up spaces of possibilities, revalidate the peripheries, and foster new forms of social coherence.

The peripheral regions of Europe find themselves caught in a crisis triangle, characterized by depopulation, the growth of the 'useless class,' and outdated social welfare systems. This crisis manifests in a lack of inspiring political narratives and a crisis of political imaginaries. In response, Retopia focuses on the concept of 'retopia,' which entails the creation of inclusive spaces of social innovation that encourage active participation. By relocalizing societies in 'leftover spaces,' such as Sicily, Western Latvia, or Northern Bulgaria, retopian redevelopment schemes offer fresh perspectives on 'ruined spaces.'

Retopia unravels the common threads and limitations of utopian studies, future studies, degrowth, narratology, the commons, and political geography. It serves as a comprehensive articulation of the potentialities of social innovation, political imaginaries, and future images, sparking a thought-provoking discussion among scholars and students in the fields of Politics and Future and Anticipation Studies.

Weight: 380g
Dimension: 162 x 241 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367255145