“Utopia, or a Place that Does Exist”, an online lecture by cultural historian and instructor at the St.Petersburg State University Faculty of Free Arts and Sciences Ilya Kalinin, will take place on December 10.

The well-known etymology of the word “utopia” connects it with an imaginary place, one that does not exist in reality. But the persistence with which humanity again and again attempts to make this place that by definition does not exist into a real place tells us that the map of the world is not quite complete without it. This deficiency has led many thinkers and writers to set out on a search for utopia. Plato, St. Augustine, Thomas More, Tommaso Campanella, Charles Fourier, Nikolay Chernyshevsky… these are just the first names that come to mind when attempting to list those who have dealt with the subject of utopia.

Together with Ilya Kalinin, we will not only discuss and compare individual utopian projects, but also examine that horizon of a better future, without which an analysis of the reality surrounding us would be incomplete. The growing dissatisfaction with the existing order of things and the ever more obvious threats inherent therein force us to contemplate repeatedly that which is not. The history of utopian thought, history itself, modern thought on utopia, it`s future, and the future of everything, will be the coordinates along our way towards “the place that does exist”.

This meeting is part of Manege’s supplementary programme to “Utopia Saved” .

The online lecture will begin at 18:30 and last for 1.5 hours.

The discussion will be conducted over Zoom. Participation is free, but you must first register and install the Zoom platform. An hour before the meeting, you will receive a link by e-mail (sent to the address indicated at registration) through which you can join the conference. You will be able to address questions to Ilya throughout the conversation.

You can watch this lecture on our YouTube channel.