Pathfinder: Utopian Studies and American Utopian Societies

This pathfinder is intended to accompany the Senior Thesis Project of Claire Pritchard of Springfield Township High School, Pennsylvania.  It is intended to be used as a research aid for those interested in the history of Utopian societies in the United States, as well as the study of Utopian philosophy in general.  It provides numerous links to helpful websites, as well as titles of pertinent journal articles and books.  Furthermore, it provides library call numbers and suggestions of search terms in case a Utopian scholar wants to pursue his or her research further.  With the aid of this pathfinder, scholars can attempt to answer the essential questions surrounding Utopian research, such as:

Why have previous American Utopian societies failed?

Are there ay successful (or fairly successful) Utopian societies functioning in the United States now?

How have previous Utopian societies affected the mainstream United States?

It is possible to have a sustainable, widespread, Utopian community in America?

When beginning to research Utopian societies, one of the most important things for a scholar to do initially is to narrow down to topic which he or she wants to research. Between the many Utopian thinkers, the many historic Utopian societies, and the attempted Utopian societies of today, there are many topics to research. These can be overwhelming unless one focuses on a specific topic. For example, in this pathfinder, the research covers only Utopian societies in the United States, with a focus on the societies of the nineteenth century.

When researching, it is also imperative that one remembers the importance of primary sources. Most of the Utopian societies left behind a wealth of primary source information, including letters, diaries, testimonials, speeches, books, articles, and sermons. These can be infinitely helpful in understanding the mindset of the society’s members as well as community dynamics.

Finally, it is important that one ascertains that a source is credible before using it for research. Where possible, annotations in this pathfinder include the author’s credentials. This is important in determining whether a source is scholarly or dubious.

Utopian studies is an incredibly interesting topic, and hopefully with the help of this pathfinder it will become a topic accessible to anyone who is interested.