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Science Fiction and Literary Theory
Science Fiction and Literary Theory |
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מדעי הרוח | אנגלית | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Science Fiction and Literary Theory
BA Seminar
Instructor
Prof. Elana Gomel
Phone
03-6409683
Office
Webb 510
Office Hours
Wed. 14-16(by appointment)
Texts:
Novels:
H.G. Wells. The Island of Dr. Moreau
Stanislaw Lem, Eden
The Strugatskys, Roadside Picnic
Philip K. Dick, Ubik
Jeff Vadermeer, Annihilation
Richard Russo, Ship of Fools
China Mieville, Embassytown
Peter Watts, Blindsight
Short stories:
Octavia Butler, “Bloodchild”, Ted Chiang, “A Story of Your Life”, Gregory Benford, “In Alien Flesh”, Robert Heinlein. “All You Zombies”, Greg Egan, “Wang’s Carpets”
Critical texts:
Darko Suvin, Metamorphoses of Science Fiction;
Mark Rose, Alien Encounters,
Adam Roberts, Science Fiction;
David Parrinder, Science Fiction: an Introduction;
Stanislaw Lem, Microworlds;
Fredric Jameson, Archaeologies of the Future;
Elana Gomel Science Fiction, Alien Encounters, and the Ethics of Posthumanism: Beyond the Golden Rule
Other texts may be added/substituted during the course of the semester
Description:
We are living in a world of cyborgs, genetic engineering, instant communication and super computers. This is the world whose essential features have been predicted (and often shaped) by science fiction (SF). Many critics have argued that SF is the defining literature of our era.
In this seminar we will consider SF as a literary genre and as a cultural phenomenon. In particular, we will focus on the narrative strategies that distinguish SF from other genres of literature and consider how literary theory succeeds (or fails) to capture its specificity. We will consider the intersection between SF and science; SF as a popular/”high” genre; and the connection between SF and other media, in particular movies and video games. Nevertheless our focus will be on SF literary texts and their narrative specificity. We will discuss whether contemporary literary theory can account for SF and if not, how consideration of SF poetics can contribute to the development of alternative views of narrative fiction.
Goals: Familiarity with the poetics and history of SF.
Ability to place SF texts in their cultural, philosophical and ideological context
Ability to think originally about SF topoi and conventions.
Requirements:
Class participation, two short response papers, a class presentation, and a final paper (a 5-page proposal for the final paper is to be submitted before the end of the semester).
Attendance is mandatory!