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Title A Study of Surveillance and Society in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Author(s) Saima Yasin

Abstract The present dissertation focuses on the development of surveillance theory with reference to its social and political implications in everyday life particularly in dystopian fiction. This study analyses social and political strategies of discipline and control enabled by the contemporary surveillance technologies. The particular ideology of surveillance is an agenda of few individuals to dominate, discipline, control and establish a totalitarian rule over rest of the populace. The research uses the theoretical perspectives provided by Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish (1975) and David Lyon’s The Rise of Surveillance Society (1994). Foundation of surveillance theory was laid by Michel Foucault while Lyon focuses on the contemporary development of surveillance societies. Data for the purpose of analysis is selected from the genre of dystopian novels The Hunger Games (2008) by Suzanne Collins and The Allegiant (2014) by Veronica Roth. Textual analysis of these works reveal the pervasive and controlling nature of surveillance technology as it takes over individual’s social and personal space by reducing him into a docile body and force him to submit to dominant authorities. Textual analysis of the selected texts led to certain pertinent findings. It is found out that contemporary culture of surveillance has reduced individual autonomy by reducing him into nameless entity that readily provides his personal and public information to digital systems. It is concluded that current rate of advancement in contemporary digital technology is alarming for the solidarity of individuals and modern nation states. Key Words: Surveillance, Dystopain, Digital technology, discipline, control, society

Type Thesis/Dissertation MS

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Department English

Language English

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