A utopia is "'an ideal image of social conditions that cannot be realised or cannot be realised under the given conditions, a fantastic idea without a real basis, a pipe dream, a fantasy' (1st half of the 19th century)." (DWDS, retrieved on 13 May 2024) Utopias are not only fascinating thought experiments, but also have a long history of inspiration and the search for alternative forms of society. From literary masterpieces such as Thomas More's "Utopia" (1516, see illustration) to real-life social movements such as the establishment of utopian communities in the 19th century, utopias have fuelled the human imagination and contributed to significant change. Utopias enable us to expand the boundaries of our thinking and also to imagine and demonstrate new scope for action for a better future through imaginative mind games.

But utopias are not just past or future visions - they also play an important role in reflecting on and critically scrutinising our present. By engaging with utopias, we can recognise current social challenges and injustices and ask ourselves what a fairer and more sustainable world could look like. Utopias serve as a mirror that enables us to rethink our own values and assumptions and explore new ways of realising an ideal society.

In Die Junge Akademie's "Utopias" research group, we want to examine past utopias, bring utopian ideas to life and thus facilitate a discourse on the multi-layered meaning of utopias. We believe that an interdisciplinary approach is crucial to understanding the full potential of utopias and possibly developing new solutions to the challenges of our time. By bringing together insights from different scientific fields and the arts, we can paint a more comprehensive picture of utopias and better understand their relevance for today's world.

Through interdisciplinary discussions, research projects and events, we strive to raise awareness of the importance of utopias in society and promote dialogue between academia and the public.