Power and Knowledge in United States of Japan by Peter Tieryas

Speculative fiction plays a crucial role as a medium for exploring the dynamics of power and control in society. This study examines the intersections of power and knowledge using a Foucauldian discourse analysis to uncover how the text construct and power within its dystopian framework. The analysis addresses the problem of how institutional authority and ideological constructs shape individual agency and social order. Employing Michel Foucault’s theories on power and knowledge, a qualitative methodology is used to identify themes of authoritarian and technological control. The findings reveal how the novel critiques hegemonic systems by illustrating their reliance on discourse. While previous research has explored dystopian literature’s critique of authoritarianism, fewer studies have examined how speculative history fiction within authoritarian regimes. This research could further explore how similar themes manifest across other alternate history narratives, highlighting their implications for contemporary socio-political contexts.