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Science Fiction Research Collective

Posters by De Witt Douglas Kilgore

Speaker series

Science Fiction and Contemporary Politics

2022-2023

Science Fiction not only reflects on the present, but helps to shape political realities. Whether the topic is synthetic biology or cryptocurrency, viral apocalypses or artificial intelligence, contemporary science fiction has shaped public understandings of important current events and issues in sometimes unexpected ways. This year's speaker series invites scholars whose recent publications explore the role of science fiction, film, and television in explaining, justifying, and contesting political formations in the present. This year's speakers are David Higgins, Sherryl Vint, and Steven Shaviro.

Frankenstein at 200

2017-2018

2018 is the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a text that is ubiquitous in English literature classes and in popular culture. In the fall, we will meet to screen a television episode inspired by Shelley’s novel, then discuss the episode over snacks. In the Spring, we will have a speaker series featuring Jennifer Rhee, John Reider, and Joan Hawkins. Sponsored by the Indiana Humanities One State/One Story project.

Future Alterities: Race in Science Fiction

2016-2017

In 1994, Mark Dery asked why so few African American writers choose to work in the genre of science fiction. Seven years later, Sheree R. Thomas’s edited anthology Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora questioned the merit of Dery’s question. Through her editorial and archival work, Thomas demonstrated the crucial contribution of writers of color to science fiction. For this year's speaker series,  we take up the topic of race

and science fiction by way of recently released monographs by andre carrington, and Aimee Bahng.

New Vectors in Science Fiction Criticism

2015 - 2016

Marlene Barr writes in a special issue of PMLA on science fiction that “the science fiction genre is necessary to our survival in a science-fictional world” (430). This year's speaker series, “New Vectors in Science Fiction Criticism,” will explore the place of science fiction in literature, scholarship, and society through talks by noted SF scholars, Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Lisa Yaszek, and David Wittenberg.

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