Social Justice Through Speculative Fiction

Catalog description

This course will explore social justice possibilities through an examination of texts within genres of speculative fiction. Genres include but are not limited to: science fiction, fantasy, Afro and Indigenous Futurisms, critical fabulation, horror, counter histories, magical realism, cyberpunk, and apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction. The genres examined in this course develop different conceptions of social justice by expanding discussions of racial identity formation, race, gender, embodiment, desire, temporality, traditions and counter-traditions, framings of political life beyond the nation-state, environmental justice, world building, and differing epistemic, ethical-political, and aesthetic values. We also explore questions associated with determining how to build communities in the shadow of catastrophic devastation. Course content variable; course repeatable for credit,