Introduction

This volume grew out of a conference seeking to explore the broad theme of global futures and the visions of justice and modes of collectivity that underwrite them. The conference was conceived in the wake of popular movements that suddenly became prominent – such as the Arab Spring, Occupy (Wall Street), and recently, the #StandWithJNU and the anticorruption campaigns in India. Over the short term, the outcome of each of these campaigns is uncertain to say the least. The failure of the Arab Spring is perhaps the most dramatic, in contrast to the euphoria that greeted it. But in each of these campaigns, the technologically mediated character of the events was constantly remarked upon, as was the idealistic, if not utopian, spirit animating them. 'Media' and 'Utopia' thus appeared as descriptive terms deserving analysis for gaining critical purchase on these events.