The talk will begin with an explanation for why we need utopian ideas. These include the massive challenges the world faces and the need to move beyond technological solutions. The talk will proceed to address the meaning of utopia and its history as a central theme in social theory and popular culture. It will speak to the weaknesses of traditional utopian thinking and the ways new forms of utopian thought have breathe new life into the concept.
Dr. Vincent Mosco (PhD Harvard) is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Queen’s University, where he held the Canada Research Chair in Communication and Society, and Distinguished Professor of Communication, Fudan University, Shanghai. His twenty-seven books include The Political Economy of Communication, The Digital Sublime and The Smart City in a Digital World. Among his many awards and honors, Dr. Mosco received the 2019 award for Outstanding Scholarship in Media, Markets, and Democracy from the International Communication Association. He is currently working on a book about the utopian imagination.