UDC: 101.1:316.334.56
https://doi.org/10.25198/2077-7175-2025-3-161


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UTOPIA AS AN ATTRACTOR OF SOCIAL CHANGES

O. N. Khalutornykh
Lomonosov Moscow State University; Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, Russia
e-mail: olganik@yandex.ru

Abstract. The article is devoted to the role of utopia/dystopia as an attractor of social transformations in the context of increasing instability of the world order, variability of scenarios for the development of a possible future for both individual communities and humanity as a whole. The relevance of the study is due to the growing interest of theorists and practitioners in alternative models of social structure in the context of global crises. In the work, utopia is considered through the prism of attractor theory – a concept of nonlinear dynamics that describes the state to which any open system evolves. The attractor sets not only the ultimate goal of transformation, but also the main parameters for achieving it (methods, forms, time and space frameworks). It is proved that the clarity of these parameters depends on many factors and affects the system in two ways – bringing the desired result closer and at the same time limiting the ways to achieve it. The main hypothesis is that it is utopia, which demonstrates in detail to reformers and their followers the image of the standard reality and the ways of its formation, acts as a specific form of social forecasting and foresight of the future society, and acquires greater significance in the period of maximum instability. Based on the methods of structural-functional and systemic analysis within the framework of the synergetic paradigm, the author highlights the key characteristics of utopia as a functional element of attractive management (integrativity, adaptability, teleology), and also confirms the thesis about the ability of utopian models in crisis conditions of social systems to influence the choice and implementation of sustainable trajectories of society development. Particular attention is paid to the study of the ideas of cosmism and their impact on the formation of Soviet cosmonautics, it is demonstrated that utopian projects received the opportunity to be integrated into scientific and technical achievements, which contributed to the implementation of key stages of space exploration in the USSR and abroad. The results of the study showed that utopia functions as a significant attractor of change during the period of maximum instability of society, creating a zone of attraction for multidirectional social initiatives. It was revealed that partial implementation of utopian ideas reduces the risks of negative scenarios. Further studies of utopias/dystopias, representing models of an alternative (desirable or negative) world, are promising for the development of strategies, management methods and socio-cultural design.

Key words: utopia, attractor, management philosophy, self-organizing system, social change.

Cite as: Khalutornykh, O. N. (2025) [Utopia as an attractor of social changes]. Intellekt. Innovacii. Investicii [Intellect. Innovations. Investments]. Vol. 3, pp. 161–168. – https://doi.org/10.25198/2077-7175-2025-3-161.


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