Refigurations of Freedom : An Analysis of the Idea of Freedom in Contemporary American Young Adult Dystopian Fiction

The idea of freedom, changed and contested throughout the ages, has become the staple of liberal democracies and a beacon of hope amidst dark tendencies that endanger the future. This books offers an analysis of freedom in the context of its historical significance for the Western civilization, newly emerging socio-political trends, and the proliferation of innovative technologies that all converge to shape human life in the nearest future. All of these prolific topics permeate modern literature, and in particular the work of American dystopian writers who convey visions of the future where profound refiguration of freedom and the whole democratic paradigm is inevitable.

Robert Gadowski completed his doctoral dissertation in philology at the University of Wrocław, Poland. His academic interests involve the areas of literary studies, social sciences and political philosophy.