No Future Now? Dystopias and Apocalypses

--- Due to sickness, Jenny Willner's and Gabriele von Glasenapp's lecture cannot take place. You can download the amended schedule here. --- 

In times of crisis, fictions of the dystopian and the apocalyptic are booming. The fear of an imminent end of mankind and the irrevocable (dis-)disturbance of the ecological balance can be traced back to the oldest literary testimonies of mankind. Even in the present, in which global crises such as the Covid pandemic, increasing environmental catastrophes and irresponsible nuclear threats dominate the consciousness and fears of many, the genres of dystopia and (post-)apocalypse are experiencing a new heyday.

The interdisciplinary conference aims to trace historical lines of development in literature and outline current trends - especially in children's and youth literature, but also in other media such as film, comics, and computer games. Questions of ideological orientation will also be raised. How much fear of the future can young readers be expected to bear? Do fictional horror scenarios indirectly contribute to the establishment of youth protest movements - from the anti-nuclear power movement to Fridays for Future?

Directed by Prof. Dr. Markus May (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich) and Dr. Christiane Raabe (International Youth Library)

The conference is open to the public and free of charge. At noon and in the evening there is the possibility to eat in Schloss Blutenburg and the surrounding area at your own expense.

Registration is required via anmeldung@ijb.de

An event of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the International Youth Library