Short course
The New Wilderness: Ecofeminist Utopias and Dystopias
Course status:
Closed to new applications
Dates and time:
15/08/2026 - 22/08/202609:00 - 12:30
Study format:
Summer schools
Fees:
£1,375.00 – £2,310.00
In an era of planetary crisis, eco-feminist dystopias and utopias offer urgent alternative visions to our collective decline, not only offering a fierce critique of how we live now, but also galvanizing disruptive yet hopeful visions of the future.
We will start the course by exploring the different tenets of ecofeminism and learning about the history and different manifestations of dystopias and utopias.
We will explore the beginning of dystopia with Lord Byron and Mary Shelley. Then we will explore major twentieth century writers such as Octavia Butler, Ursula Le Guin and Starhawk. Themes such as spirituality, indigenous writing, separatism and apocalypse will be considered.
As an alternative to dystopian futures that seem increasingly inevitable, ecofeminist utopias and speculative fiction helps us conjure up other, possibly future worlds utopias that promote a more holistic way of being on the planet, one that supports the equality between human and non-human species.
Classes will involve reading and discussing a range of texts, preceded by daily short lectures, and supplementary theoretical materials relevant to the topics and texts.
This course is part of the Oxford University Summer School for Adults (OUSSA) programme.
Apply for this course
Apply using the button below.
Seminars
Participants are taught in small seminar groups of up to 10 students, and receive two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor.
Sunday
Seminar 1
- Introduction: welcome and introduction to course
- Introduction to eco-feminism
Seminar 2
- Introduction to utopias and dystopias
Monday
Seminar 3
- The Beginnings: Ecoanxiety in 1815
Seminar 4
- Lord Byron, Darkness
- Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
Tuesday
Seminar 5
- Eco-Feminist Utopias and Spirituality
- Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower (extract)
Seminar 6
- Starhawk, The Fifth Sacred Thing
Wednesday
Seminar 7
- Indigenous Eco-Feminism
- Robin Wall Kimmer (excerpts)
Seminar 8
- Ursula Le Guin, The Word for World is Forest
- Ellen van Nerven, Water
Thursday
Seminar 9
- Eco-feminist Separatism
- Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland (excerpts)
Seminar 10
- Sally Miller Gearhart, The Wanderground
Friday
Seminar 11
- Dystopias and Apocalyptic Fiction
- Megan Hunter, The End We Start From
Seminar 12
- Diane Cooke, The New Wilderness
Programme timetable
The daily timetable will normally be as follows:
Saturday
14.00–16.30 – Registration
16.30–17.00 – Orientation meeting
17.00–17.30 – Classroom orientation for tutor and students
17.30–18.00 – Drinks reception
18.00–20.00 – Welcome dinner
Sunday – Friday
09.00–10.30 – Seminar
10.30–11.00 – Tea/coffee break
11.00–12.30 – Seminar
12.30–13.30 – Lunch
13.30–18.00 – Afternoons are free for tutorials, individual study, course-related field trips or exploring the many places of interest in and around Oxford.
18.00–19.00 – Dinner (there is a formal gala dinner every Friday to close each week of the programme).
A range of optional social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include: a quiz night, visit to historic pubs in Oxford, visit to Christ Church for Evensong and after-dinner talks and discussions.
Residential options are outlined below.
Please see the ‘application’ section above for guidance on how to book or request the right accommodation for you.
Residential option
This includes accommodation and all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
View full details of Rewley House accommodation.
Non-residential option
We also offer places on a non-residential basis whereby participants can take classes and have meals (lunch and dinner) at Rewley House, having arranged their own accommodation elsewhere.
Course aims
This module aims to:
- Introduce students to the genre and function of imaginary utopias and dystopias.
- Focus on how such forms of imaginative writing address the constantly changing relation of science and technology to gender and the environment in the light of the climate crisis.
- Explore the impact dystopias and utopias can have on societies and their readers.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course students will have been given the opportunity to:
- Display a detailed knowledge of the genre of dystopian and utopian fiction.
- Understand the foundations of eco-feminism.
- Approach their own historical moment from a critical perspective informed by dystopian/utopian fiction.
- Demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to engage in intellectual debates around the issues raised by dystopia and utopian fiction.
Teaching methods
The teaching methods used during this course may include:
- Short lectures/presentations
- Physical handouts
- Seminars/group discussions
- Video recordings
Assessment methods
Participants are required to undertake preparatory reading and complete a pre-course assignment of 1,500 words. Although this does not count towards credit, it is seen as an important way of developing your ideas and is mandatory. The pre-course assignment is typically due in the first week of June.
You will be assessed during the summer school by either a 1,000 word written assignment or a presentation supported by individual documentation. To successfully gain credit (10 CATS points) students should attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment.
Participants will also attend two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor during the week.
Please see the ‘certification’ section for more details about CATS points.
Professor Nicole Pohl
Nicole Pohl is Professor Emerit at Oxford Brookes University. She has published and edited books on women’s utopian writing in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, European salons, utopia and the Anthropocene. She is the Academic Editor of Electronic Enlightenment, Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University.
Certificate of Attendance
All participants who complete the course will receive a physical Certificate of Attendance.
Digital badge
You will also be issued with an official digital badge of attendance. After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download this. You will be able to share this on social media and add to your email signature if you wish to do so.
Academic credit
OUSSA is an accredited summer school taught at undergraduate level; each one-week course carries 10 CATS (Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme) points at FHEQ (Framework for Higher Education Qualification) Level 4.
CATS points will be awarded to students who attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment to the required standard. Please see the ‘assessment methods’ section below for more details.
Certificate of Higher Education
Credit (CATS points) earned from OUSSA can be transferred towards our flexible Certificate of Higher Education. This part-time, award-bearing course lets you decide what, how and where you study by gaining credit from short courses, including short online courses, in-person weekly classes and OUSSA.
For full details, including transfering credit gained from OUSSA to the programme, see our Certificate of Higher Education programme page.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Fee Option 1 (Single en suite – inc. Tuition and Meals) | £2205.00 |
| Fee Option 2 (Double en suite – inc. Tuition and Meals) 1 person | £2310.00 |
| Fee Option 3 (Twin en suite – inc. Tuition and Meals) per | £1850.00 |
| Fee Option 4 (No Accommodation – inc. Tuition, Lunch & Dinner) | £1375.00 |
Payment
All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis.
Please be aware that all payments made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.
Course change administration fee: Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances; however, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions, an administration fee of £50 will be charged.
Payment terms
- If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking
- If submitting an application form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date
Cancellations and refunds
Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.
The Department cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. You are advised to check the terms and conditions carefully and to purchase travel insurance.
Funding
Concessionary rates are available on a non-residential basis for those that qualify.
The concessionary fee is for non-residential attendance only; participants will then be responsible for finding their own accommodation. See full details including eligibility.
Recommended reading
Douglas Vakoch (2021). Dystopias and Utopias on Earth and Beyond Feminist Ecocriticism of Science Fiction. Routledge.
Carolyn Merchant (1992). Radical Ecology. 1992.
Robin Wall Kimmerer (2013). Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed.
Donna Haraway (2015). Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene. Duke.
Module code: O25I611SSR
Most courses fill quickly so early registration is strongly recommended. If your preferred course is fully booked, you may wish to add yourself to the waiting list and the Programme Administrator will contact you should a place become available.
Please note, the programme is only open to those over the age of 18.
Online enrolment (single person accommodation and non-residential)
Single accommodation, double room for 1 person and non-residential places should be booked online by clicking on the ‘Book now’ button at the top of this page.
Online enrolments require payment in full at the time of registering.
Enrolment form (multi-occupancy or accessible accommodation)
Those requiring twin, double or accessible accommodation (including ground/lower floor accommodation) should complete an enrolment form as these rooms cannot be booked or requested online.
Please send the completed enrolment form to the email address below. Both the PDF and Word option of the form below are editable, so you can complete them online before saving and sending to us as an email attachment. You do not need to print and scan them. (Please use these forms only if you are making a twin or double booking for two people.)
- Enrolment form – editable PDF
- Enrolment form – Microsoft Word
Those who have specific requirements (eg an accessible bedroom) should contact the Programme Administrator directly at oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk or OUSSA, University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.