Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

English

Date of Award

5-2022

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Mark Baumgartner

Committee Members

Chelsea Wessels, Matthew Holtmeier

Abstract

Cyberpunk science fiction is often set in dystopian futures where capitalism and rapid technological growth have rendered the planet ecologically devastated. The people of these worlds are host to numerous mental illnesses that many attempt to cure with drugs, entertainment, or other aspects of their fast-paced existences, but these solutions are rarely successful. When characters come to embrace the remnants of the natural world, however, they typically show signs of mental healing as the result of exposure to nature. This thesis analyzes William Gibson’s Neuromancer, Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, and Jeanette Winterson’s The Stone Gods alongside research from the fields of ecopsychology and ecotherapy to better understand the relationship between mental health and nature within the cyberpunk genre.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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