The dominating power of the state to control our thoughts, emotions, and sexuality has been the dominant concern of many women writers and is reflective in some of the best dystopian literature of the modern age. In this discussion from the 2017 PEN World Voices Festival between Marge Piercy, Alice Sola Kim, Namwali Serpell, and Jeff VanderMeer, we look at this critical topic and why we are at a crossroads. How are female protagonists presented in dystopia and what are some future trends?
This event was produced by Rattapallax magazine, New School Creative Writing, and New School Gender and Sexuality Studies, and supported through a grant from Humanities New York, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts, in partnership with Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s One Book, One New York, and sponsored by TooFar Media.