Prefiguration and Utopia: The Auroville Experiment

Clarence-Smith, Suryamayi (2022) Prefiguration and Utopia: The Auroville Experiment. In: The Future is Now: An Introduction to Prefigurative Politics. Alternatives to Capitalism in the 21st Century . Bristol University Press, Bristol.

Text Clarence-Smith_2022_Prefiguration and Utopia.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (254kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

While prefigurative scholarship is concentrated almost exclusively on political practice, fellow-travelling with utopian practice invites the conceptual and experimental scope of enactment of prefiguration to broaden, and thereby, through multiple avenues, empower the transformation of societies that prefigurative actors seek to facilitate. This chapter introduces the potential of a ‘prefigurative utopianism’, utopian practice enacted through prefigurative processes. Based on auto-ethnographic research on alternative political and economic practices in the largest intentional community in the world – Auroville (India) – this chapter proposes how certain forms of utopian practice, those that embody utopian ideals through strategic and reflexive experimentation, are to be recognized as prefigurative.

Item Type:	Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords:	prefiguration; utopia; Auroville; intentional community
Subjects:	Collective Organisation > Collective Organisation (General)
Depositing User:	Dr. Suryamayi Clarence-Smith
Date Deposited:	23 Mar 2023 19:19
Last Modified:	23 Mar 2023 19:19
URI:	http://aurorepo.in/id/eprint/240

Actions (login required)

View Item