Read more Read less A Utopia is an ideal society in which the social, political, and economic evils afflicting human kind have been wiped out. Utopia (Latin: Libellus vere aureus, nec minus salutaris quam festivus, de optimo rei publicae statu deque nova insula Utopia, "A little, true book, not less beneficial than enjoyable, about how things should be in a state and about the new island Utopia") is a work of fiction and socio-political satire by Thomas More (1478–1535), written in Latin and published in 1516. Widely known, Dictionary.com for definitions says as a noun, utopia means, “an imaginary island described in Sit Thomas More’s Utopia as enjoying perfection in law, politics, etc.” Smaller religious groups have been established that wished to simulate a utopian society, or in their view, a resemblance of the afterlife. Concepts of utopia and dystopia represent imaginary societies in which people live their life either in a perfect environment, governed by the laws that provide happiness to everyone, or in an oppressive society that is ruled by the repressive and controlled state. In this highly influential book, Ruth Levitas provides an excellent introduction to the meaning and importance of the concept of utopia, and explores a wealth of material drawn from literature and social theory to illustrate its rich history and analytical versatility. The concept of utopia is perhaps synonymous with a Garden of Eden, afterlife paradise or enlightened state of mind like Shambhala, Nirvana or the Elysian Fields in the prominent world religions. Historical Background. Utopia has a quality of universality, as revealed by the fact that it has fascinated readers of five centuries, has influenced countless writers, and has invited imitation by scores of "Utopianists." ISBN: 3-03911-366-8 1 As its title suggests, Ruth Levitas’s The Concept of Utopia—published originally in 1990 and republished this year in the “Ralahine Classics” … From its inception by the works of Greek philosopher Plato, many prominent modern philosophers and novelist proposed their visions of this concept. Still, however, an examination of the period of which it was the product is necessary in order to view the work in depth. Ruth Levitas, The Concept of Utopia Antonis Balasopoulos REFERENCES Oxford et al: Peter Lang, 2010. pp. More’s Utopia was not the first literary work to play around with policy ideas: dreaming of a better life is an innate part of being human. Utopia remains the most potent secular concept for imagining and producing a 'better world', and this classic text will be invaluable to students across a wide range of disciplines. Utopia and Dystopia Information. The Concept of Utopia is clearly and coherently structured. Utopia represents intentionally made society with perfect socio-politico-legal system that provides perfect life to its inhabitants. 264. She first reviews six famous Anglo-American mainstream studies of Utopia published before This is an idea displayed in communist governments. In the novel, Animal Farm, by George Orwell Old Major’s ideas of a Utopia are changed because of Napoleon’s bad leadership. After a brief introduction, Levitas devotes seven of her eight chapters to analyzing definitions of Utopia from the past two centuries. Introduction. Utopia: ‘an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.’ I will be explaining how Howard, Le Corbusier, Soria Y Mata, Patrick Geddes and Frank Lloyd Wright defined ‘Utopia’ their ideal place or state of living. Creative Commons License Ruth Levitas, The Concept of Utopia 2 Antonis Balasopoulos Ruth Levitas, The Concept of Utopia 1 As its title suggests, Ruth Levitas’s The Concept of Utopia—published originally in 1990 and republished this year in the “Ralahine Classics” series—is a study principally concerned with the definition of its object. The word utopia is based on Greek where ou means ‘not’ and topos means ‘place,’ therefore it is not a place.