Restriction lift date: 2030-09-30
The limits of liberation: the co-option of the posthuman subject in contemporary science fiction
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Date
2024
Authors
Phelan, Dylan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University College Cork
Published Version
Abstract
This thesis examines the portrayal of the posthuman subject in contemporary science fiction, focusing on how mainstream media co-opts and nullifies its transgressive potential. Posthumans, as hybrid identities, challenge binary distinctions and destabilise oppressive categorisations, offering a profound capacity for subversion and resistance. Contemporary portrayals, however, often undermine this potential by positioning posthuman subjects within traditional hierarchies that reinforce existing power structures. My research investigates this trend across a range of texts, spanning early representations of the posthuman, cyberpunk fiction, contemporary cinema, and contemporary television. I analyse how these portrayals have developed over time, considering historical and cultural influences and identifying the role of capitalism in neutralising these subversive identities through processes of co-option and commodification.
To engage with the complexities of this subject, I adopt a threefold theoretical approach. Drawing on the work of posthuman theorists such as Donna Haraway and Rosi Braidotti, I define and analyse the liberatory potential of the posthuman subject. Using the schizo-analytic framework of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, I explore how posthuman identities can both transcend and be constrained by hierarchical categorisations. Finally, employing the post-Marxist theories of Theodor Adorno, Max Horkheimer, and Guy Debord, I examine how capitalist structures absorb and commodify the transgressive possibilities of posthuman identities, reducing their capacity to disrupt the status quo.
By integrating these theoretical approaches, my research provides a comprehensive analysis of how posthuman subjects are represented in science fiction and what these portrayals reveal about the nature of power and identity in contemporary society.
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Keywords
Science fiction , Posthumanism , Film studies , Critical theory
Citation
Phelan, D. 2024. The limits of liberation: the co-option of the posthuman subject in contemporary science fiction. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.