Русская литературная дистопия. State of exception и язык .......... 81

RUSSIAN LITERARY DYSTOPIA: STATE OF EXCEPTION AND LANGUAGE

The article explores the evolution and linguistic features of the dystopian genre in Russian literature, focusing on the relationship between language, power, and ideology. While the term ‘dystopia’ only became established in Russian literary studies in the early 21st century, the genre itself has deep roots in earlier literary practices, from Yevgeny Zamyatin to contemporary authors such as Vladimir Sorokin and Vasily Shukshin. The study emphasizes the dual nature of dystopian poetics, which combines kataphatic (affirmative) and apophatic (negative, silent) modes of expression. Dystopia is defined here as an “aesthetic revelation from social dreams”, articulated through a unique linguistic form that exposes the crisis of meaning within totalitarian or technocratic discourse. Drawing on theoretical perspectives by Carl Schmitt and Giorgio Agamben, the article situates the dystopian state within the paradigm of the state of exception, where language functions simultaneously as an instrument of domination and a space of resistance. The apophatic discourse of silence, denial, and fragmentation becomes a key strategy through which dystopian texts articulate the limits of human experience and the collapse of utopian ideals. By examining narrative forms such as the “inner manuscript”, the parody of the utopian journey, and the motif of forbidden authorship, the article argues that dystopia serves as a privileged field for exploring the intersections of literature, philosophy, and political theory. Ultimately, dystopia emerges not only as a literary genre but also as a cultural and ethical lens through which modernity reflects its own contradictions.