Stories that deal with the aftermath of a catastrophic event that devastates humanity. The catastrophe can be manmade, such as a nuclear war, or a natural disaster such as an asteroid hitting the Earth or a new plague.
Source: End of the World as We Know It: Apocalyptic, Post-Apocalyptic, and Dystopian Worlds
The central themes of dystopian novels generally fall under these topics:
Government control
Environmental destruction
Technological control
Survival
Loss of individualism
Source: What is Dystopian Fiction? Learn About the 5 Characteristics of Dystopian Fiction With Examples
A sub-genre: Cli-fi (climate fiction) /ecological or environmental dystopia
Dark Materials: Reflecting on Dystopian Themes in Young Adult Literature
Past and Future Worlds: Queer and Non-Binary Dystopian Narratives
Locked Out of Dystopia: Gender and Diversity Issues in Popular Young Adult Fiction (PDF essay)
The Rise of Dystopian Fiction: From Soviet Dissidents to 70’s Paranoia to Murakami
How to recognize a dystopia - Alex Gendler
What "Orwellian" really means - Noah Tavlin
What Makes Something "Kafkaesque"?
What is Climate Fiction?
Pandemic Fiction