Zombie Experts and Anarchy Imaginaries: Fantasies of ‘Crises to Be’ in Climate Change Futures

Abstract

The characterization of human social response in crisis is most often apocalyptic and dystopic, especially when connected to environmental detriments expected from climate change. This article draws on the cases of zombie apocalypse experts and climate-fiction to situate an investigation into how diametric forms of knowledge compete, dominate, and then replicate in mediated popular culture as forms of truth. It builds on extensive work in areas of both lived disaster response and mythologies. The article links certain philosophies to popular culture as a driver in the construction of knowledge and truth. Here, Foucault and his conceptions of power and knowledge are used as epistemological lenses. The article also theorizes about the role of societal boredom that explains the power of fantasy over empirical science. Another goal of the article is to articulate the implications of this work on practical issues connected to climate change and human security. Mainly, the article argues the perpetuation of anarchy fantasies can foster and justify policies oriented towards social control.