Utopian Imaginings and the Future of the Isle of Man

Authors: Matthew Warren and Sarah Mercer

Utopia is an idea of what it would mean to live in a perfect society. It is a way of thinking without the constraints of the dominant source of political legitimacy—pragmatism—and can help to motivate people to engage in re- envisaging and then acting to change the society they live in. This paper reflects on a recent project in which Manx people were interviewed about their ideal Isle of Man—their Island Utopia. It elaborates on what the concept of utopia can offer us in terms of critiquing the assumptions of the current norm, and of providing direction and imputes for societal change. It also reflects on the content of these utopias and concludes with a proposal for further research into the area on the Isle of Man.