..Here is a thought for you; dystopia is actually the norm. Taking in the span of human existence, organised societies are an abberation. The situation of areas that are at the front of international attention such as Afghanistan can illustrate this. Other countries are trying to help a small group of people to create a state that functions in a manner similiar to other nation states, but the likelihood is that the moment they leave they will revert to what they are used to. Areas controlled by war lords
As a South African, my first advice is to choose a country - Africa is a huge continent, and each country in the continent is wildly different... We are united by a common 'African-ness' but you can't really decide what you want your book to be about, or how you want it to taste/smell/look/feel, until you choose a country within Africa.
