Dystopian fiction has remained a popular literary genre for decades, largely because it acts as both a mirror for our current society and a warning for the future. In this introductory course to the Dissecting Dystopia series, student will learn to answer the following questions:

• What is a dystopia?
• How can a reader identify a dystopia in literature and other media?
• How does a dystopian society affect the personal, social, professional, economic, and religious spheres of characters' lives?
• What is a utopia and how might a dystopian society be disguised as a utopian society?
• What purpose does dystopian fiction serve?
• How do dystopias affect language? 
• How can a reader identify the social, political, or economic messages of a work of dystopian fiction?

For this class, students are not required to read specific works of dystopian literature, though multiple classic and contemporary dystopian novels will be referenced to provide examples, including The Giver, Parable of the Sower, The Hunger Games, Fahrenheit 451, Nineteen Eight-Four, and The Handmaid's Tale. 

This course is taught through a mix of lecture and discussion. I will explain each concept, provide examples, and then ask learners for additional examples to ensure they understand the concepts and how to apply them.