Clone Families and Zombie Children: The Demise of the Nuclear Family in Dystopian and Postapocalyptic Narratives

Abstract

Although dystopian and postapocalyptic narratives tend to be discussed primarily in terms of their exploration of society, they also prove to be an interesting, so far largely underestimated, context for examining cultural responses to fluctuating discourses on the family. Due to their characteristic range of themes and premises, both dystopian and postapocalyptic narratives may challenge notions of what “normal” family life looks like and what “family” means in the face of changing social realities, legal frameworks and reproductive technologies. The article discusses (re-)interpretations of what families may mean in a number of British and American dystopian and postapocalyptic novels (in particular recent ones) as well as in the successful TV series The Walking Dead.