ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a conceptualisation of utopian and dystopian thinking. It presents an overview of Plato's influence on education through his seminal work The Republic, which serves as a powerful example of utopian thinking and remains a legacy for education today. A traditional feature of utopia is that it represents an exemplary society projecting values and morals that elevate the whole of society. Jean-Jacques Rousseau's educational utopia Emile visions a different type of education process, formulated around an anthropological approach to pedagogical freedom, which has non-intervention and self-direction at the heart of the educational process. David Halpin's work sets out to explore the significance of hope and the utopian reflection in an educational climate of 'social, moral and educational despair and disaffection'. The chapter explores Ruth Levitas' ongoing political and social engagement with utopia, which has come to determine both her ontological position and methodological application.
