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Instructors: Dr. Kate Macdonald
Event type:
Seminar
Org-unit: Anglistik/Amerikanistik
Displayed in timetable as:
Language of instruction:
Englisch
Min. | Max. participants:
- | 30
Requirements and recommendations:
Aim of the event:
Course objective:
Gain an introduction to the critical analysis of science fiction (sf).
Explore how a range of sf texts have depicted alienation.
Read and discuss critical texts to consider:
alienation as a structural device
theoretical approaches to reading alienation in sf
addressing ideas of social commentary and imagination
Develop skills including critical thinking, organizing and conveying information in English, in writing and in class discussion.
Contents:
Premises / Recommendations:
This course will discuss the development of Anglophone science fiction thematically through the lens of the alien and of being alienated through this powerful fictional form. We will be reading several novels and short stories (including H G Wells' The War of the Worlds and John Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos) reinforced by screenings of classic cinema (Fritz Lang's Metropolis, The War of the Worlds and Village of the Damned), and a little light Vocaloid music. We will explore alienation from within, the cyborg and the robot, invaders from space, voyaging among the stars, dystopias and special powers.
Comment:
Comment:
[many editions of the novels are available, try buying them second-hand on abebooks.co.uk]
1. H G Wells, The War of the Worlds (1898) The Penguin Classics or Oxford University Press World’s Classics editions are good, with footnotes and explanatory essays.
2. John Wyndham, The Midwich Cuckoos (1957)
3. The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories (Oxford University Press, 2006) ed. Tom Shippey, from which we will be studying these short stories:
· ‘The Land Ironclads’ (1903) by H G Wells
· ‘The Piper’s Son’ (1945) by Lewis Padgett [kuttner & moore]
· ‘The second night of summer’ (1950) by James H Schmitz
· ‘Who can replace a man?’ (1958) by Brian Aldiss
· ‘Billennium’ (1961) by J G Ballard
· ‘Semley’s necklace’ (1964) by Ursula Le Guin
· ‘Cloak of anarchy’ (1972) by Larry H Niven
4. Women of Futures Past. Classic Stories (Baen Books, 2016) ed. Kristine Kathryn Rusch http:/www.baen.com/women-of-futures-past.html], from which we will be studying these short stories, and the Introduction (see below):
· ‘Shambleau’ (1933) by C L Moore
· ‘The Indelible Kind’ (1968) by Zenna Henderson
· ‘The last flight of Dr Ain’, (1969) by James Tiptree Jnr
· ‘Out of All Them Bright Stars’ (1985) by Nancy Kress
· ‘Angel’ (1987) by Pat Cadigan
Other texts will be available for download on PAUL.
Important notes:
Further Grading Information:
· 30 hours of teaching by KM
· Active and willing participation in class by students
· All primary texts (the fiction) must be read by students before attending the class. If a student does not prepare adequately for the classes by reading the required texts they will be asked to leave the course.
· One reading test (you must pass this to pass the course).
· One written test (you must pass this to pass the course).
· One written essay of 5000 words (optional for 6 credits).
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