Matthew Leggatt
@matthewleggatt.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer English and American Lit @ Winchester Uni: Lit & Film, utopia/dystopia, apocalypse, terror. Co-host Utopian and Dystopian Fictions podcast. D&D. Dog pics. Views own. He/Him
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Utopian and Dystopian Fictions
Podcast · Utopian and Dystopian Fictions · Utopian and Dystopian Fictions is a podcast for scholars, thinkers, and anyone with an interest in utopian and dystopian theory, literature, film, and televi...
open.spotify.com
Liam Knight and I have a podcast! It's called "Utopian and Dystopian Fictions" and features interviews with some fantastic scholars. In the first episode we interview Raffaella Baccolini! More to follow.
open.spotify.com/show/2HWH9BA...
open.spotify.com/show/2HWH9BA...
Reposted by Matthew Leggatt
Recorded the interview yesterday for our next episode... Not one but two brilliant guests! Here are some things that featured in our discussion...
February 7, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Recorded the interview yesterday for our next episode... Not one but two brilliant guests! Here are some things that featured in our discussion...
It's a dog's life!
February 6, 2026 at 9:30 AM
It's a dog's life!
Reposted by Matthew Leggatt
Another wonderful episode of Utopian and Dystopian Fictions...right up my alley as a land use and environmental attorney by day (creative writer by night). Listen to this interview with environmental scientist and freelance journalist Paul Hardisty regarding his new climate-collapse novel, The Hope.
Episode 19 on ecodystopia is available now, featuring an interview with climate scientist and dystopian novelist Paul E. Hardisty. The discussion is surprisingly hopeful!
open.spotify.com/episode/7JGW...
open.spotify.com/episode/7JGW...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Another wonderful episode of Utopian and Dystopian Fictions...right up my alley as a land use and environmental attorney by day (creative writer by night). Listen to this interview with environmental scientist and freelance journalist Paul Hardisty regarding his new climate-collapse novel, The Hope.
My favourite portmanteau, and one I'd highly recommend for all dog owners is, is "sniffvestigate".
February 4, 2026 at 6:58 AM
My favourite portmanteau, and one I'd highly recommend for all dog owners is, is "sniffvestigate".
I got tricked into going to the vets!
February 2, 2026 at 4:21 PM
I got tricked into going to the vets!
Just realised I forgot to post last week's teaching...
February 1, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Just realised I forgot to post last week's teaching...
Reposted by Matthew Leggatt
Matthew Leggatt, Senior Lecturer in English & American Literature @uniwinchester.bsky.social, has launched a new season of his Utopian & Dystopian Fictions podcast with guest Amy Brookes, an architect who discusses intersections between architecture and speculative fiction. Listen at bit.ly/45zeuyz
January 29, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Matthew Leggatt, Senior Lecturer in English & American Literature @uniwinchester.bsky.social, has launched a new season of his Utopian & Dystopian Fictions podcast with guest Amy Brookes, an architect who discusses intersections between architecture and speculative fiction. Listen at bit.ly/45zeuyz
Paul was such an inspiring guest, giving us real reasons to be hopeful in these dystopian times...
Episode 19 on ecodystopia is available now, featuring an interview with climate scientist and dystopian novelist Paul E. Hardisty. The discussion is surprisingly hopeful!
open.spotify.com/episode/7JGW...
open.spotify.com/episode/7JGW...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:23 AM
Paul was such an inspiring guest, giving us real reasons to be hopeful in these dystopian times...
Ugh. AI essays are just sooo boring!
January 26, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Ugh. AI essays are just sooo boring!
Reposted by Matthew Leggatt
A @inparenthesis.bsky.social update: Proud to be helping to organise this Symposium that builds on @domlash.bsky.social agenda setting work here. CfA The Quartet-in-Film Symposium: Vice & Violence Winchester in June @uniwinchester.bsky.social
www.winchester.ac.uk/research/Our... #filmsky #philsky
www.winchester.ac.uk/research/Our... #filmsky #philsky
Culture-Media-Text Research Centre - University of Winchester
Find out more about the Culture-Media-Text Research Centre at the University of Winchester.
www.winchester.ac.uk
January 24, 2026 at 7:50 AM
A @inparenthesis.bsky.social update: Proud to be helping to organise this Symposium that builds on @domlash.bsky.social agenda setting work here. CfA The Quartet-in-Film Symposium: Vice & Violence Winchester in June @uniwinchester.bsky.social
www.winchester.ac.uk/research/Our... #filmsky #philsky
www.winchester.ac.uk/research/Our... #filmsky #philsky
Reposted by Matthew Leggatt
Liam and I are doing some recording this afternoon. In the meantime, here's a reminder that our latest episode features a lovely interview with Amy Brookes about architceture in speculative fiction. open.spotify.com/episode/1jPc...
Episode 18: Amy Brookes, Architecture and Speculative Fiction
open.spotify.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:16 AM
Liam and I are doing some recording this afternoon. In the meantime, here's a reminder that our latest episode features a lovely interview with Amy Brookes about architceture in speculative fiction. open.spotify.com/episode/1jPc...
And we're up and running for another semester. My timetable is a little more forgiving this term, thankfully. Here's what we've got this week (although just extracts for the intro week... not teaching these in full).
January 19, 2026 at 8:10 AM
And we're up and running for another semester. My timetable is a little more forgiving this term, thankfully. Here's what we've got this week (although just extracts for the intro week... not teaching these in full).
Just look at this majestic snoot!
January 17, 2026 at 11:19 AM
Just look at this majestic snoot!
Reposted by Matthew Leggatt
It's so bleak out there we're going to have to change the name of the podcast to Utopian and Realist Fictions!
January 15, 2026 at 7:38 PM
It's so bleak out there we're going to have to change the name of the podcast to Utopian and Realist Fictions!
I see a lot of negative book reviews where the reviewer says something like 'the book didn't do X...' I never open a book expecting it to do something. I'd rather appreciate the book for what it does do than what it doesn't. It's a reading strategy I'd recommend... you'll enjoy the book more!
January 11, 2026 at 10:38 AM
I see a lot of negative book reviews where the reviewer says something like 'the book didn't do X...' I never open a book expecting it to do something. I'd rather appreciate the book for what it does do than what it doesn't. It's a reading strategy I'd recommend... you'll enjoy the book more!
Need something uplifting right now? This might be it...
We promised we'd be back... season 3 begins with an episode on the connection between Architecture and Speculative Fiction and features an interview with the fabulous Amy Brookes. You can listen here on Spotify or wherever you get your pods:
open.spotify.com/episode/1jPc...
open.spotify.com/episode/1jPc...
Episode 18: Amy Brookes, Architecture and Speculative Fiction
open.spotify.com
January 9, 2026 at 7:23 AM
Need something uplifting right now? This might be it...
Reposted by Matthew Leggatt
In case you missed it, I’ve got a new article out on games that deliberately try to provoke and to irritate you.
It’s called 'Antagonistic Game Design,' and it’s open access on #Eludamos!
It’s called 'Antagonistic Game Design,' and it’s open access on #Eludamos!
🚨 My new article 'Antagonistic Game Design: the Author as a Player' is out on #Eludamos (Journal for Computer Game Culture)! 🚨
>> septentrio.uit.no/index.php/el... <<
WARNING: might contains traces of @cloobot.bsky.social @doougle.net @jzagal.bsky.social @foddy.net and @add-hawk.bsky.social XD
>> septentrio.uit.no/index.php/el... <<
WARNING: might contains traces of @cloobot.bsky.social @doougle.net @jzagal.bsky.social @foddy.net and @add-hawk.bsky.social XD
January 8, 2026 at 7:48 AM
In case you missed it, I’ve got a new article out on games that deliberately try to provoke and to irritate you.
It’s called 'Antagonistic Game Design,' and it’s open access on #Eludamos!
It’s called 'Antagonistic Game Design,' and it’s open access on #Eludamos!
Reposted by Matthew Leggatt
The podcast returns on Friday morning and we've got a new jingle!
January 6, 2026 at 8:14 AM
The podcast returns on Friday morning and we've got a new jingle!
Red sky in the morning...
January 6, 2026 at 8:11 AM
Red sky in the morning...
If there's not a Stranger Things spin off in the next two years I'll eat my Dungeon Master's cloak!
January 2, 2026 at 9:07 AM
If there's not a Stranger Things spin off in the next two years I'll eat my Dungeon Master's cloak!
New Year's Day beach walk for Willow. Was a golden retriever meet up with dozens of other retrievers but we just missed the group photo! She had fun though...
January 2, 2026 at 8:00 AM
New Year's Day beach walk for Willow. Was a golden retriever meet up with dozens of other retrievers but we just missed the group photo! She had fun though...
2025 has been a massive year for me, personally: aside from the birth of my son, who turns 1 in under a month, I've published a monograph, 2 journal articles, and 10 episodes of the podcast. More importantly, I've (just about) stayed sane! Here's to another hectic year incoming with more on the way!
December 31, 2025 at 2:39 PM
2025 has been a massive year for me, personally: aside from the birth of my son, who turns 1 in under a month, I've published a monograph, 2 journal articles, and 10 episodes of the podcast. More importantly, I've (just about) stayed sane! Here's to another hectic year incoming with more on the way!
Think my New Year's Resolution needs to be to say "no" more often to free academic labour!
December 30, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Think my New Year's Resolution needs to be to say "no" more often to free academic labour!
Slogging my way through the indexing for this chunky beast. Getting there... 12 chapters down, 7 to go!
sunypress.edu/Books/W/Wast...
sunypress.edu/Books/W/Wast...
Wastelands and Wonderlands
sunypress.edu
December 29, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Slogging my way through the indexing for this chunky beast. Getting there... 12 chapters down, 7 to go!
sunypress.edu/Books/W/Wast...
sunypress.edu/Books/W/Wast...
Willow expressing how we're all feeling after a fun but exhausting Christmas!
December 27, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Willow expressing how we're all feeling after a fun but exhausting Christmas!