Reimagining Humanity in the Anthropocene: Posthumanism and Climate Fiction in Margaret Atwood's MaddAddam Trilogy as Case Study
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The Anthropocene is an epoch marked by significant and irreversible human impact on the Earth’s geology and ecological diversities. Over the years, human beings continually alter the Earth’s ecosystems and atmosphere, and the ultimate result is turning out to be more than a climate change, a potential system collapse (Glotfelty, 1996). This article offers a comprehensive literature review of the Anthropocene, tracing its historical evolution and examining the theoretical perspectives it has inspired. Building on Dipesh Chakrabarty’s influential work, The Climate of History: Four Theses, the study reflects on the need to reconceptualize human history within the framework of the Anthropocene. Alongside Chakrabarty, the article draws from posthumanist thinkers such as Donna Haraway and Rosi Braidotti, whose work emphasizes the importance of coevolution strategies and all species’ living in harmony. Braidotti’ s posthumanism, with its focus on interconnectedness and the ethical implications of co-existing with non-human life, provides a critical foundation for this discussion. By connecting these theoretical insights to climate fiction and posthuman themes, this article examines how Margaret Atwood’s Maddaddam Trilogy series urge readers to rethink humanity’s role in a shared biosphere, advocating for interdependence, accountability, and transformative possibilities in an ecologically precarious era. Keywords: Anthropocene, Posthumanism, Climate Fiction, Ecological Crisis, Margaret Atwood
Authors: Gökçen Eralan Coşkun, Esra Çöker
Language: English
Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6948993830
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