Mobile Utopia Overview

Mobile Utopia 1851-2051 is a research co-creation project that seeks to develop a deeper understanding of mobile utopias (and dystopias), and to creatively analyse and explore these. Critically, ‘mobile utopias’ are not transport utopias. Communicative, imaginative, embodied and disembodied, utopian and dystopian mobilities of information, people, goods, ideas as well as practices of immobilising, obstructions, borders, stasis, slowness intersect in the making of pasts, presents, futures.

There are a range of activities. Please follow the links below to find out how you can participate:

12-14 December 2016 Writing Retreat

Mobile Utopia at the J Edmond Safra Fountain Court at Somerset House, London
24-26 June

Mobile Utopia at the Cemore Away Day
2 June 2016, Ellel Village Hall

Mobile Utopia @Lancaster Campus in The City
18th May 2016

Nicola Spurling at the Centre for Mobilities Research Showcase
20th April 2016 

Mobile Utopias Research Co-Creation Workshop
19th April 2016, 11:00 – 16:00, Design Studio, Lancaster University

Mobilizing the Urban Model:  A Workshop on Spatial Analysis and Mobile Utopias of Consumption, 18th April 2016, 09:30-15:00, Lancaster University, Bowland North, SR 07

Background

The project is developed through collaboration with different communities in Lancaster and Birmingham. It will take part in celebrations around the 500th Anniversary of the publication of Thomas More’s Utopia. The interdisciplinary group of researchers led by Nick Dunn, Professor of Urban Design, includes Monika Büscher, Lynne Pearce, Nicola Spurling, and Carlos López Galviz.

Critically, ‘mobile utopias’ are not transport utopias. Communicative, imaginative, embodied and disembodied, utopian and dystopian mobilities of information, people, goods, ideas as well as practices of immobilising, obstructions, borders, stasis, slowness intersect in the making of pasts, presents, futures. Here are some examples from our growing collection of utopian everyday objects and stories.