regay

Regay is a fictional term used in speculative fiction to describe a process or state of rebuilding a society after systemic collapse. The word is not an established concept outside of narrative contexts, and there is no standardized definition across works. The coinage is typically presented as a holistic framework rather than a single technique, emphasizing democratic participation, local knowledge, and adaptive governance.

In regay, communities focus on restoring essential services through mutual aid, reviving artisanal crafts and local economies, and preserving cultural memory through oral histories and ritual practice. Decision-making is often described as decentralized, with councils or assemblies coordinating resource sharing while safeguarding minority rights and environmental sustainability. Regay may be depicted as temporal, with progress framed as a gradual return toward a previous societal baseline or as a reimagined social order.

In fiction, regay appears across novels and role-playing settings, sometimes as a formal program, sometimes as a cultural ethos. Critics within those stories question its feasibility, while proponents argue that regay offers a narrative mechanism to explore resilience and community. Some readers view regay as an optimistic counterpoint to dystopian themes, whereas others caution that it risks glossing over power imbalances.