Preliminary communication
The Rise and Fall of Autopoietic Systems in Sarah Hall’s The Carhullan Army
Marijana Jeleč
; University of Zadar
Iris Spajić
; University of Osijek
Abstract
In 2007, contemporary British author Sarah Hall published The Carhullan Army, a post-apocalyptic dystopian novel illustrating the profound impact of climate change on interconnected and interdependent living systems. Utilizing core principles of Luhmann’s systems theory, this paper investigates the autopoietic mechanisms within The Carhullan Army, detailing the self-organization and eventual collapse of internal structures following an environmental catastrophe. The analysis scrutinizes specific urban components depicted as dysfunctional and self-destructive, ultimately underscoring the intricate complexity of societal dynamics, anthropogenic transformations, and the delineation between systemic boundaries and their environments. The paper not only provides a critical examination of dystopian literature but also integrates literary analysis with transdisciplinary study of systems to offer a comprehensive understanding of the symbiotic relationship between human systems and their ecological contexts. Through this interdisciplinary approach, the paper contributes to ongoing discussions on sustainability, resilience, and the profound implications of human-induced environmental changes. The application of systems theory to literary analysis represents a methodological variation, demonstrating how scientific theories can be employed to interpret and understand complex contemporary narratives.
Keywords
critical dystopia; post-apocalyptic dystopian novel; system crisis; systems theory; autopoiesis; contemporary literature; Sarah Hall
Hrčak ID:
333984
URI
Publication date:
24.7.2025.
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