THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Hempel Surname or Family name: Christoph Daniel First name: Other name/s: PhD Abbreviation for degree as given in the Un iversity calendar: School of the Arts and Media Faculty of the Arts and Social Sciences Sc hool: Faculty: The interplay of utopia and ideology in visions of Australia Title: Abstract 350 words maximum : Australia has a fascinating hi story of visions. As the Antipode to Europe, the conti nent provides un ique ly fe rtile ground for imagining places, spaces and societies radically different from Europe. But since one man 's utopia is always another man's dystopia, these visions usua lly come with their own ideological baggage. It is thi s interplay of utopia and ideology in visions of Australia that forms the overarching theme of this thesis, the central aim of which is to determ ine the place of Australia in the utopian imagination. Trac ing the major transformations and adaptations which the interplay of utopia and ideology has undergone, the thesis maps out how visions of Australia evolved from the pre-colonial to the modern period. To this purpose, it draws on utopian theory to provide a conceptual frame\vork for analys ing the interplay of utopia and ideology in a wide range of texts and their broader discursive and hi storical contexts. Offering an innovative approach to Marxist ideology-critique, th is conceptual framework is based on the work of Ernst Bloch, Karl Mannheim, Paul Ricamr and Frederic Jameson. As such, this thesis represents not only the first systematic study of the ro le of utopian thought in the literaty imagination of Australia, it also provides an origin al and insightful perspective on Australian hi story, and furthers our the oretical understanding of the complex interplay of utopia and ideology. While the central fi ndin g of the thesis is that none of the visions of Australia has succeeded in completely salvaging utopia from ideology's oppressive hold, it also uncovers that Austral ia's place in the utopian imagination holds tremendous critical and concrete-utopian potenti al. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to arc hive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilm s to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Di ssertation Abstracts International (th is is applicable to doctoral theses only). The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances a nd require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OrFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements fo r Award: TI l/S SHEET IS TO BE GLUIW TO TI IE !NS/DE FRONT COVEil OF TllE TI lliSIS The Interplay of Utopia and Ideology in Visions of Australia Daniel Hempel A thesis in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy UNSW School of the Arts & Media Faculty of the Arts & Social Sciences Submitted August 2016 Originality Statement: I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged. Copyright Statement: I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation. Authenticity Statement: I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format. Signed....................................... Date.......................................... 3 Abstract: Australia has a fascinating history of visions. As the Antipode to Europe, the continent provides uniquely fertile ground for imagining places, spaces and societies radically different from Europe. But since one man’s utopia is always another man’s dystopia, these visions usually come with their own ideological baggage. It is this interplay of utopia and ideology in visions of Australia that forms the overarching theme of this thesis, the central aim of which is to determine the place of Australia in the utopian imagination. Tracing the major transformations and adaptations which the interplay of utopia and ideology has undergone, the thesis maps out how visions of Australia evolved from the pre-colonial to the modern period. To this purpose, it draws on utopian theory to provide a conceptual framework for analysing the interplay of utopia and ideology in a wide range of texts and their broader discursive and historical contexts. Offering an innovative approach to Marxist ideology-critique, this conceptual framework is based on the work of Ernst Bloch, Karl Mannheim, Paul Ricoeur and Fredric Jameson. The thesis systematically analyses the role of utopian thought in the literary imagination of Australia up to the twentieth century, and as such provides not only an original and insightful study of Australian history, but also furthers our theoretical understanding of the complex interplay of utopia and ideology. While the central finding of the thesis is that none of the visions of Australia has succeeded in completely salvaging utopia from ideology’s oppressive hold, it also uncovers that Australia’s place in the utopian imagination holds tremendous critical and concrete-utopian potential. 4 Acknowledgements I would like to thank Bill Ashcroft, my supervisor. I am especially grateful for how generous he was with his time. His vast knowledge and insight into the subject matter were a never- failing source of inspiration, and his critical readings and constructive comments supported this thesis from its vague beginnings to its hectic end. I am also greatly appreciative of my co-supervisor, Fiona Morrison, whose guidance and feedback encouraged and supported me during the confirmation process. My sincerest thanks also to Chris Danta, who was not only a constructive reader at my first review, but also a wonderfully supportive postgraduate convenor afterwards. Finally, heartfelt thanks go to my wife, Amy. You have been a most supportive, critical and, at times, painstakingly precise reader of my work. 5 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 7 Scope and Chapter Outline........................................................................................ 8 Discussion of the Conceptual Framework .............................................................. 11 Mannheim: the Criterion of Incongruence .............................................................. 12 Ricœur: Utopia as Social Critique .......................................................................... 16 Bloch: the Utopian Surplus ..................................................................................... 20 Jameson: Compensatory Structures and the Ideologeme ........................................ 23 CHAPTER 1 – The Antipodean Vision of Utopic Nowhereness ............................... 26 Origin of the Antipodes in Ancient Geography ...................................................... 28 The Unheimlichkeit of the Antipodes ..................................................................... 30 Antipodal Monstrosity ............................................................................................ 33 Joseph Hall: Mundus Alter et Idem ......................................................................... 36 Richard Brome: The Antipodes ..............................................................................