Course Goals and Overview
"The most powerful works of SF don't describe the future - they change it." -
Annalee Newitz,
io9
This dynamic course examines science fiction across a range of media forms including film, television, literature, fanfic, comics, gaming, and more,
seeking to answer these questions:
How do various media forms engage with the themes,
tropes, and narratives of science fiction? Why has SF long been the dominant genre, mode, and
thematic approach in the popular media? Will this trend continue to grow,
or will it fade as our world becomes ever-more SFnal?
Using readings, shows, and other multimedia and interactive experiences,
we'll survey this
dynamic genre's history and follow its development through multiple media as new generations of
artists, writers, and other creatives take advantage of emerging narrative tools to respond to changing social conditions.
We'll trace the effects SF continues to have on today's expression of what it means to be human living through ever-accelerating change.
Award-winning science-fiction author, editor, and scholar
Chris McKitterick leads the course.
You'll write weekly responses after reading a diversity of materials, viewing films and other multimedia expressions, and participate in
live online and asynchronous text-based discussions.
You'll explore your unique understanding and interpretation of the genre, and then create and share personal visions through multimedia responses.
Finally, you'll answer the course's core question in a final project and group
presentation. Prepare in advance to rent, stream,
borrow, or otherwise access about one feature-length movie or other media per week outside of class beyond a number of mostly short readings
and other materials to ensure you have access.
To empower you to earn your best grade, practice research and participation
skills that'll help your scholarly and professional careers, and get the most out of this course,
you'll have endless opportunities to earn bonus (Level Up)
points using an additive (rather than the typical deductive) grading system. You'll find lots of suggestions for additional related research, events,
and media throughout the syllabus as well as via Blackboard announcements and
in-class discussion. Take full advantage of these opportunities - and exceed
minimum writing and participation expectations - to Level Up your grade!
Note: Because we interact with a diversity of multimedia, you'll occasionally
encounter adult situations, colorful language, violence, and nudity - especially in comics and movies. If this is a problem, please contact
me to
discuss alternative materials. I'll do my best to give a heads-up about
particularly problematic
pieces.
This course is now exclusively offered for professionalization through the
Ad Astra Institute for Science
Fiction & the Speculative Imagination for educators, science-fiction
authors, and readers looking to deepen their understanding of the genre. For
those enrolling not-for-credit, you can ignore mentions of grading (I've left
these in for other educators looking for syllabus-building ideas).
Diversity and Accessibility
Everyone enjoys equal access to enjoy my
offerings, and
I actively
encourage students and scholars from diverse backgrounds to participate.
All my courses are also available to be taken
not-for-credit for professionalization purposes by community members (if space
is available).
Click here to
see my diversity statement.
KU's Academic Achievement and Access Center coordinates accommodations and services for all
eligible KU students. If you have a disability for which you wish to request accommodation and have not contacted the AAAC, please do so as soon as possible.
Their office is located in 22 Strong Hall; their phone number is
(785)864-4064 (V/TTY), or email them at achieve@falcon.cc.ukans.edu
Feel free to contact me privately about your needs in this
course.
Readings and Other Media
You won't need to buy many books (unless you want to). Most of what you'll
read, watch, and otherwise interact with is online,
either as excerpts in Blackboard or linked
through the weekly schedule below.
Here's one short graphic novel you do need to buy or borrow:
We3
(no excerpt would do it justice, and it's very short). Get it in time for
when we discuss
Animal Uplift.
Because this course
is heavily media-oriented, you are responsible for tracking down movies, TV
shows, and so forth. Unless you have a huge video collection of your own,
in order to view all the required materials you'll need access to streaming
services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Hulu, FMovies, Disney+,
or so forth, or get
a rental account at one of the local
video-rental places such as
Liberty Hall.
Free alternative sources for many media items include the
KU Libraries,
the EGARC media services on
Wescoe Hall's 4th floor, and the
Lawrence Public
Library. If this is a
hardship, please let me know ASAP so we can work out alternatives, or make plans
for viewings with your classmates.
Free alternatives for some of these media materials:
Make sure to prepare access to media in advance so you don't miss something!
Your Instructor
Christopher McKitterick is an
award-winning science-fiction author
and scholar, founded and directs the new
Ad Astra Institute
for Science Fiction and the Speculative Imagination (launch
announcement here), directed and co-led the
original
J Wayne and Elsie M Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction
from 1995-2022,
teaches SF and creative writing at KU and elsewhere, and offers workshops and
masterclasses around the
world. He's been
a professional writer and editor for decades, managed documentation teams, freelanced for a variety of publishers,
worked in the gaming industry, and is a popular public speaker. He writes not just
stories,
novels,
and
poetry, but also
nonfiction
such as astronomy articles, technical
documents, game supplements,
journalism... just about every writing genre. He's also edited books and
magazines, developed websites since the 1990s, run an observatory and
planetarium, served as card-game "gunslinger," and lots of other stuff.
McKitterick's novella, "Ashes of
Exploding Suns, Monuments to Dust," won the
2019 Analytical Laboratories Reader's Award. His debut novel, Transcendence, is
now in its second edition. He recently finished a far-future novel, Empire Ship
the first book of the young-adult series,
The Galactic Adventures of Jack & Stella,
and has several other projects on the burners.
Feel free to mine his experience for tips and advice about writing and
editing in general, as well as about
science-fiction fandom and the field.
Want to learn more? Check out
McKitterick's
author bio or
his
work bio. Or maybe you want to see his
C.V.? Here it is (pdf).
- syllabi for his other courses
(more coming soon!) -
If you have questions,
need assistance, or just want to chat about SF, drop me a note any time
or arrange to meet. (I'm unlikely to spend a lot of time in my offices while the
pandemic still rages.) I might take a little time to
respond if I'm out of town or in the middle of a project, so don't wait until the last minute!
Office: Moving right now - contact me for more info (office
is also my lending library)
Email: cmckit.SF@gmail.com
or cmckit.sf@gmail.com
(please use "SF Media Course"
and something about your question in subject line for clarity
and quickest response)
Other contact info:
Academia.edu
Ad Astra Institute for Science
Fiction & the Speculative Imagination
Christopher-McKitterick.com
Facebook
Goodreads
Instagram
The Internet Speculative Fiction Database
LinkedIn
SFWA Speaker's Bureau
Patreon
Pillowfort
Tumblr (lots of
relevant
Science Fiction tags listed throughout syllabus; writers, check out my various
Writing Tips tags)
Twitter
YouTube (lots of SF-related playlists
listed throughout syllabus
to Level Up your SFnal experience!)
Wikipedia
Weekly Schedule
Syllabus last updated May 5, 2022 - contact
McKitterick for details.
Syllabus will change as I add or
identify new
readings and more extra credit opportunities.
Note: Syllabus will see lots of additional suggested material
(plus fixed links as sites move stuff around).
Watch this space for regular, ongoing updates!
Revision History
Jan 2022 - present: Updating to fix moved links and add new links, images, and Level Up suggestions.
This course is now exclusively offered for professionalization through the
Ad Astra Institute for Science
Fiction & the Speculative Imagination for educators, science-fiction
authors, and readers looking to deepen their understanding of the genre. For
those enrolling not-for-credit, you can ignore mentions of grading (I've left
these in for other educators looking for syllabus-building ideas).
Quick overview
We'll meet face-to-face in our classroom unless otherwise specified here and via
Blackboard:
Stay tuned for my next offering of this course!
Week 1: Introductions & Class Logistics. What is Science Fiction? What is Media?
January 20
Week 2: Mythology & the Roots of Narrative & Story,
January 27
Week 3: Space Opera & Science Fantasy. The Golden Age of SF, February 3
Week 4: Comics & Static Art. Superheroes, February 10
Week 5: Music, Radio, & Other Non-Visual Storytelling,
February 24
Week 6: Exploring the Unknown... and Finding Aliens. SF Movies, March 3
Week 7: Frontiers & Space Westerns. SF Television, March 10
No class during Spring Break (March 17). If you're traveling, be safe!
Week 8: Gaming in SF. Animal Uplift, March 24
Week 9: Alien Invasions & Horror from Beyond the Stars, March 31
Week 10: Out of Time: Dinosaurs & Ancient History, Alternate History... April 7
Mid-Term Project
deadline: Upload to Blackboard by 5:00pm Friday, April 1.
Week 11: AI & Robots, Biotech & Cyborgs, Biopunk & Cyberpunk, April 14
Week 12: Dystopias & Social Science Fiction, April 21
Week 13: Fandom & Transformative Works, April 28
Week 14: Interactive & Blurred Media. What's the Future of SF Storytelling? May 5
Week 15: Group Presentations! May 5
(Info on the Presentation Project here.)
No class or test during Finals Week.
Final Project
deadline: Upload to Blackboard
at the latest by 5:00pm Friday, May 13. Turn it in early for bonus Level Up points,
decreasing over time (see each week for how many bonus points you can earn).
Late/missing projects: To receive credit, upload missing response papers and
other work to Blackboard by 5:00pm Thursday, May 19. If you didn't finish something when it was due, turn it in after you
turn in your more important, bigger projects.
The links below take you to individual pages listing the multimedia works we'll discuss
each day. Read, watch, or otherwise interact with all the items marked "Assigned
Multimedia." You'll see a lot of "or" options: This
gives you more freedom to choose and allows the class as a whole to show up with
more-diverse experience to discuss. Choose more than one item to Level Up that
week's score! You can earn bonus Level Up points by writing about
more relevant items; lots of suggestions in the right column.
Each class after the first, two or three students help lead the discussions, bringing enough good
questions to keep a lively discussion going for the entire class period; aim
for at least a dozen (total) questions or discussion prompts. If we end
up holding class online (or to Level Up your grade), please also
share these in the appropriate weekly Discussion Board thread. (Your instructor
also brings lots of his own prompts and notes, so you're not alone.) Discussion
leaders
also seek relevant information about the assignments' creators, how the works
influenced the science fiction and multimedia that follows, and so forth, and
share these things in live sessions (and our Blackboard discussion forums). You must lead the
weekly
discussion at least twice, but may serve more often if you want to
Level Up! This is a major part of your grade and an
important learning opportunity. (Contact me if you need accommodation for anxiety
or otherwise cannot help lead discussions.)
Note1: As new SF media is
constantly appearing, I'm likely make edits to the scheduled materials, including adding links, embedding multimedia, and altering some
content with more-relevant pieces. I'll put a note in the "Revision History"
(above) if I've made such an edit.
I'll definitely add more Level Up opportunities throughout the
semester. If you have suggestions, let me know!
Note2: Check regularly for embedded materials - usually on the
bottom of each day's section - and Level Up suggestions - I'll keep adding more of
both
throughout the semester as I and the discussion leaders find more great stuff!
Assigned Multimedia
Most readings link to websites. Find items not linked
here on
Blackboard (mostly attached to Assignments).
|
Level Up Extras
Great stuff to enrich your understanding! We often discuss or check these out in class,
with links to bonus-point opportunities. Check back frequently for more
suggestions (and offer your own).
|
Week 1: January 20, 2022 Introductions & Class
Logistics. What is
Science Fiction? What is Media?
|
McKitterick leads this week's in-class discussion.
Topics:
- Introductions.
- Course and syllabus overview.
- Discussion-leaders signup - next week, y'all begin leading
discussions with me!
- What is science fiction?
- What are all the various types of
mass media?
- What do people mean by "new
media," and what makes it different from other media forms?
- What do the different mass-media forms bring to storytelling that text,
alone, cannot (or cannot do as well, or does differently)?
- What's your favorite SF media, and what do you like about its SF
nature?
- Use today's multimedia in discussion.
Assigned multimedia
Check out Ward Shelly's excellent "History
of Science Fiction" illustration.
Read:
Your short response paper
for this week is about these materials and topics. Because this is our first
get-together, you have a few extra days to look over these materials.
Upload
your thoughtful reading response into
Blackboard's Week 1 Response Paper
assignment slot by 5:00pm Monday, January 24.
For the rest of the semester, upload your
response to the assigned materials into the appropriate
Blackboard assignment slot before
each week's live class session starts.
|
Level Up! suggestions
Throughout the semester, Level Up your SF mastery by reading and writing about a piece of scholarship or serious fan-writing.
This week, find something that defines science fiction or
analyzes the
various SF narrative-media forms. What does this material add to your understanding? Some resources for finding such
articles:
You can also Level Up by critically watching and writing about
a science-fiction movie, TV show, or other media narrative that you
especially like. Consider:
- What about the SF nature of the work makes you love it more?
- That is, how does the science fiction mode change the story?
- What do you enjoy about SF story, world, ideas, characters, or other
aspects?
- Check out my ever-growing
SF Media Course Vids playlist on YouTube throughout the
semester for more relevant videos (a few show up as Assigned or Level Up multimedia).
I've
divided them into topics, as well, to narrow down your choices.
Another way to Level Up: Critically read and write about another relevant novel, short story, or
other written piece of science
fiction, and respond as above.
Yet another: Respond to the week's in-class discussions: You may include a response
to today's discussion in the the next week's response - but if you want to earn a
Level Up bonus for responding to day's discussion after
you've already turned in that day's response, feel free to make a
second submission with your revised response by the end of each
weekend. I'll wait to score the prior week's responses until Monday in order to
give you time to do so.
To earn Level Up! bonus points, be clear in your response about how these additional materials and ideas
extend your understanding of the week's content, themes, and/or forms. Include in
your response clear reference to materials you studied beyond those assigned.
|
Week 2: January 27 Mythology & the Roots of Narrative & Story.
|
Topics for discussion:
Complete discussion-leaders signup.
Some suggested questions to consider while writing your reading
response and to pursue in class discussion:
- What is mythology, and what is its relationship to SF?
- What are the elements of a story?
- What is narrative?
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia, its relationship to science fiction, and how popular-media forms change the storytelling experience.
Assigned multimedia
- Revisit Ward Shelly's excellent "History
of Science Fiction" illustration - a great infographic about the history of storytelling in general!
- Critically re-watch one of your favorite movies, TV shows, or other media
with an SF narrative. Prepare notes and comments to
share in class:
- What about this narrative makes you love it?
- What do you enjoy about the story, world, ideas, characters, or other
aspects?
- What makes it science fiction?
- Read:
- Check out
this single-frame comic about story structure (see below).
Your response paper for
this week is about these materials and topics.
Upload your response to
the assigned materials into
the Week 2 Response
Blackboard assignment slot before class starts.
|
Level Up! suggestions
- Check out Free State ComiCon this weekend (Sept 7)!
- Check out "Maureen Murdock's Heroine's Journey"
- a feminist response to "Joseph
Campbell's Hero's Journey."
- Critically re-watch more of your favorite science-fiction movies, TV
shows, or other media with an SF narrative that you especially like. Think
and write critically about:
- What about the SF nature of the work makes you love it more?
- That is, how does the science fiction mode change the story?
- What do you enjoy about SF story, world, ideas, characters, or other
aspects?
- Don't have one in mind? Check out the
American Gods series, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, for a
modern take on updating mythological narratives and inventing new ones.
- Throughout the semester, Level Up your SF master by reading and writing about a piece of scholarship or serious fan-writing.
This week, find something that
discusses narrative, storytelling, or mythology. What does this material add to your understanding? Some resources for finding such
articles:
- Critically read and write about another relevant novel or short piece of science
fiction.
- Respond to this or last week's in-class discussions: You may include a response
to the prior day's discussion in today's response - but if you want to earn a
Level Up bonus for responding to today's discussion after
you've already turned in your response, feel free to make a
second submission with your revised response by the end of each
weekend. I'll wait to score the prior week's responses until Monday, in order to
give you time to do so.
- Check out my ever-growing
SF Media Course Vids playlist on YouTube throughout the
semester for more relevant videos, including
lots of
specific SFnal topics.
- Check out my curated Tumblr posts and reblogs. The most-general items for this course are
tagged as
science fiction media class and
science fiction
(very broadly SF-related). For better focus and lots more
posts related to this week, check
these specific tags:
And here's a Level Up event opportunity you can attend on Tuesday (Aug
27):
Local author Natalie C. Parker's
Seafire
book-release party and conversation with Julie Murphy.
When: Tuesday, August 28, 2018 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Where:
The Raven Book Store, 6 East 7th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044
Free!
To earn Level Up points, be clear in your response
about how the additional materials and ideas extend your understanding of the
course's content, themes, and forms. Include in
your response clear reference to materials you studied beyond those required.
|
Level Up opportunity this weekend:
Free State
ComiCon in Lawrence (click here
or the image to go to their Facebook page):
|
Sept 4 - Labor Day (no class)
|
Week 3: February 3
Space Opera &
Science Fantasy. The Golden Age of SF.
|
Topics for online discussion:
- The early days of pulp SF and its flowering and maturation during the Golden
Age.
- What is
Space Opera?
- Space Opera
then and now.
- What is
Science
Fantasy, and how does it differ from science
fiction's Space Opera subgenre?
- Discuss this week's media focus, its relationship to science fiction,
and how new media changes our narrative experience.
Assigned multimedia
Read:
Watch:
- The short science-fantasy film, The Gold Sparrow.
(If videos like this don't play for you, clear your browser
cache and update your snap-ins and add-ons.)
- At least the first episode of the Adult Swim original show,
Final Space, also
available on HBO Max.
- ...or the first episode of the SyFy original show,
The
Expanse...
- ...or a
Star Trek (original series) episode,
at least "Balance
of Terror" or "Space
Seed" (link goes to abbreviated version) - watch and respond to two or
more to Level Up!
- ...watch more than one of these to Level Up!
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope...
- ...or, if you've already seen it, watch another in the
Star Wars saga
- or more to further Level Up!
...or
Guardians
of the Galaxy... (or, if you've already seen it,
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 [2017])...
...watch more than one of these to Level Up!
Your response paper
for this week is about these materials and topics (at minimum - feel free to
Level Up for bonus points and deeper understanding!).
Upload your response to
the assigned materials and any Level Up material into the Week 3 Blackboard slot before
class starts.
|
Level Up! suggestions
- Read and write about more Space Opera or Science Fantasy narratives.
- Watch more episodes of
The
Expanse,
Final Space,
Star Trek, or other relevant shows.
- Read and write about a piece of scholarship or serious fan-writing that
discusses space opera, storytelling, or mythology. Some
suggestions:
- Critically watch and write about another relevant movie, TV show, or other media
with a science-fiction narrative. Some ideas:
- Bright (2017), a Netflix original movie.
-
The Fifth Element.
-
Futurama (1993-2013) - just about any episode is great!
-
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
(2017).
-
Galaxy Quest.
-
Jupiter Ascending.
-
Loki
(2021), on Disney+.
- Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017).
- The
Buck Rogers radio shows, the
original Buck Rogers
TV series, or so forth.
- A relevant episode of
Rick and Morty, especially
the "Summer & Tinkles Song"
(from Episode 4 of Season 2), to go with
the Schlock Mercenary
readings.
- Want more Star Trek (ToS)?
Here's the Star Trek CBS channel on YouTube,
and
here are the original full episodes on StarTrek.com. To see the show
thoroughly updated with modern graphics and sound, check out
the recent blu-ray release: all the classic acting, but with beautifully
remastered multimedia.
- Watch more movies in the
Star Wars
saga. I recommend watching them in the
"Machete
Order."
- Now that we have more new movies, conclude with
The Force Awakens (Episode VII). You could start with
Solo
(2018) or
Rogue One (2016) - narratively, that one ends where
A New Hope begins.
- Check out "Secrets
of the Star Wars drafts: Inside George Lucas' amazing - and very different - early scripts."
For example,
Luke Skywalker's character might have been a woman, with drawings that made Lucas' vision real and hidden stories from
Star Wars' history.
- Check out the huge "All Star Wars IV in one image."
- Write about your experience playing:
- Eve Online.
-
Mass Effect 2 (links to the promo video).
- Or another space-opera game, or watch some videos of a game that
explore the game narrative.
- Read and write about more of
Saga.
- Check out
this great gallery of space-art covers from 1950s magazines.
Also this one.
- Critically read and write about another relevant novel or short piece of science
fiction.
- Gene Wolfe's science-fantasy series that starts with
The Shadow of the Torturer is a great example.
- One of the touchstones of the Golden Age of SF: Don A. Stewart's
(aka John W. Campbell) "Who Goes There?" (see
Blackboard). Later
made into multiple movie versions called
The Thing.
- Browse McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube throughout the
semester for more recommended short SF films, including
specific SFnal topics.
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class and science fiction blog tags,
especially:
- The
Starbridge blog, a series of cool Golden Age
covers.
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
- ...and more - check out the items below.
To earn Level Up points, be clear in your response
about how the additional materials and ideas extend your understanding of the content, themes, and forms. Include in
your response clear reference to materials you studied beyond those required.
|
From Schlock Mercenary:
Episode 1 of the original
1939 Buck Rogers TV series.
A flashy history
of Eve Online (game site).
|
Week 4: February 10 Comics & Static Art.
Superheroes.
|
Topics for discussion:
- What are comics, and how does the narrative experience differ from
text-based SF?
- What's the difference between single-frame comics, strips, and graphic
novels?
- How does static art (paintings, images) differ from comics? How does
such work tell a narrative?
- Discuss this week's media focus, its relationship to science fiction,
and how new media changes our narrative experience.
- What's a
superhero?
- How do superheroes fit into science fiction?
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia.
Assigned multimedia
Read:
Watch:
- Black Panther...
...
or
Captain Marvel (2019) ...
or
Deadpool (or, if you've already seen it,
Deadpool 2)
- or both to Level Up! Note: These are pretty violent and raunchy, but also wonderful and hilarious. ...
or Guardians
of the Galaxy (or, if you've already seen it, its sequel - or both to
Level Up!) ... or
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) ...
or Wonder Woman (2017
- or, if you've already seen it, its 2021 sequel)
- If possible, respond in terms of the film's relationship to the original comics
to further Level Up!
- At least one episode of
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- or more to Level Up!
To Level Up, consider its relationship with other
MCU shows and movies. ... or
Stargirl (2020) playing on HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and the CW.
Your response paper
for today is about these materials and topics. Upload your response to
the assigned materials into the Week 4 Blackboard slot before
class starts.
|
Level Up! suggestions
- Browse some galleries of SF art.
- Read Scott McCloud's article about "The 'Infinite Canvas'" on his website to learn more
about the theory behind
Zot! Online
- lots more great content there, as well.
- Check out the videos linked below.
- Critically watch and write about another relevant comic, movie, TV show,
or other media with a science-fiction narrative, such as those excerpted
this week.
- Compare another media-adaptation of a comic or piece of art.
- Check out Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal's
last humans comic.
- Critically read and write about another relevant novel or short piece of science
fiction.
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
- Read and write about one of the full-length books excerpted this week,
including:
- Critically watch and write about another relevant movie, TV show, or
other media with a science-fiction narrative, such as those excerpted above.
More ideas:
- Browse through SYFY Wire's "25 of the best comics covers of the last 25 years" piece.
- If you didn't Level Up using this last week, check out
this great gallery of space-art covers from 1950s magazines.
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
- Browse McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube throughout the
semester for more recommended short SF films, including
specific SFnal topics. For this week:
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class and science fiction
blog tags, especially these:
- art
-
cartoons (and consider how they're different from comics)
-
comics
-
cover art
-
fantasy art
-
science fiction art
-
space art
-
superheroes
-
superpowers
-
supervillains
- Your favorite (specific) superhero or comics tags, such as
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,
Black Panther,
Deadpool,
Guardians of the Galaxy,
Thor,
Thor: Ragnarok, Watchmen,
Wonder Woman, and lots more.
- Great
Tumblr post
about Thor, quantum field generators, and soul forges.
- Check out the videos below.
To earn Level Up! points, be clear in your response
about how the additional materials and ideas extend your understanding of the content, themes, and forms. Include in
your response clear reference to materials you studied beyond those required.
|
Check out the "oath" clip from the Duck
Dodgers / Green Lantern crossover.
Clip from Superman Vs. the Elite.
|
Week 5: February 24 Music, Radio, & Other Non-Visual Storytelling.
|
Topics for discussion:
- Discuss various forms of non-visual storytelling (including oral
storytelling, radio, filking, and podcasts).
- How do these narrative experiences differ from text-based fiction and
visual narratives?
- Discuss this week's media focus, its relationship to science fiction,
and how new media changes our narrative experience.
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia.
Assigned multimedia
- Listen to:
- Read The Encyclopedia of SF's "Filk"
and "SF Music" entries.
- Watch (or at least listen to, though the visuals add immensely to this
multimedia project) Janelle Monáe's brilliant, short (48-minute) musical movie,
Dirty Computer on YouTube.
- How do music videos alter the song and album experience?
Your response paper
is about these materials and topics. Upload
your response to into the Week 5
Blackboard slot
before class starts.
|
Level Up! suggestions
- Find and write about at least one more non-visual SF narrative.
- Check out more of these podcast suggestions:
- Read The Encyclopedia of SF's
"Music" entry.
- Critically listen to and write about more media with a non-visual
science-fiction narrative - particularly, today, a
radio or podcast story, or an album designed around SF music. Some popular SF-themed albums:
- David Bowie's 1972 album,
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972).
For more about this, check out the article,
"How David Bowie Helped
Shape Science Fiction as We Know It," from Smithsonian Magazine.
- Flight of the Conchords - particularly check out "The Humans are Dead"
music video.
- The rising stars of SF music,
Starset.
Here's their YouTube channel, with a ton of videos - many
full-on mini-films - in addition to full albums.
They're based on a cool SFnal concept, the
Starset Society.
The
organizer of the band, lead singer, and songwriter also wrote a
novel and
graphic novel (both called The PROX
Transmissions).
Here are a few photos I took of the 2018 Lawrence
concert.
- More of Janelle Monáe.
Check out music videos of her albums on YouTube - particularly her android concept albums
The ArchAndroid and
Metropolis: The Chase Suite.
- Tons more great suggestions in "Top 100
Albums for Science Fiction Fans," from io9.
- Did you enjoy Buck Rogers? It was the first SF radio show!
Here's the first episode, "The Mechanical Mole."
- Critically read and write about another relevant novel or short piece of science fiction.
- Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week:
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class and
science fiction blog tags, specifically:
-
Music (general, but lots of SF).
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
|
Click here to listen to the MP3: "And the Moon Be Still As Bright," by
Ray Bradbury, from the
X-Minus-1
radio show. It was first published in
Thrilling Wonder Stories
in June 1948, the seventh story in Bradbury's famous
The Martian Chronicles:
Welcome to Night Vale's
Pilot episode. Here's a little fan art:
|
Week 6: March 3 Exploring the Unknown... and
Finding Aliens. SF Movies.
|
Topics for discussion:
- Discuss exploration as one of SF's roots.
- How does the narrative experience of moving pictures differ from
text-based fiction?
- How do movies differ from short films, especially now when sites like
YouTube democratize distribution?
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia.
- Discuss this week's media focus, its relationship to science fiction,
and how new media changes our narrative experience.
Assigned multimedia
Read:
Watch:
Your response paper
is about these materials and topics. Upload
your response to into the Week 6
Blackboard slot
before class starts.
|
Level Up! suggestions
- Read the statement on diversity I wrote
for my SF Center - aliens often serve as a way to comment
on "the Other" in SF.
- Watch "The History of Aliens in Film," on my ever-growing
YouTube Science Fiction & the Popular Media playlist.
- If you haven't already, check out
Wolf 359 - [spoiler alert] later in the
series, alien encounters become ever-more important.
- Read SF Grand Master
James Gunn's
Transcendental (or one of its sequels if you've read it), a novel full of aliens, galactic travel, and
thoughts about transcendence. Some consider it a sort of Canterbury
Tales aboard an interstellar spaceship. Highly recommended, not the
least because you could meet the man, himself, and get your book signed and
personalized!
- Read the rest of
Expedition.
- Read more about
Wayne Douglas Barlow's art, and check out the
Expedition fanfiction site.
- Critically watch and write about another relevant movie. Some
suggestions:
- Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week:
- Critically watch and write about another TV show relevant to this week. Some
suggestions:
- Critically read and write about another relevant novel or
short piece of
science fiction. Some suggestions:
- A Darkling Sea, by James L. Cambias.
- Arrival
was based on Paolo Bacigalupi's
Sturgeon Award-winning story, "Story of Your Life."
- Rosewater, by Tade Thompson.
- The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu (Ken Liu, translator).
- SF Grand Master James Gunn's
Transcendental (or one of its sequels if you've read it),
a novel full of aliens, galactic travel, and
thoughts about transcendence. It's a sort of Canterbury
Tales aboard an interstellar spaceship. Highly recommended, not the
least because you could meet the man, himself, and get your book signed and
personalized!
- Read The Lost Worlds of 2001 excerpt (see
Blackboard)
about the making of Clarke and Kubrick's movie,
2001: A Space Odyssey (the movie and
the novel came later, and this book gives some insight into the
process).
- Read "Why James Cameron's Aliens is the best movie about technology,"
a tongue-in-cheek but excellent analysis of some of the reasons this Alien
sequel is so brilliant.
- Art:
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class
and science fiction blog tags, specifically:
- Especially for this week, check out McKitterick's growing
SF Media Course Vids YouTube playlist for more relevant
short films. Specifically relevant:
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
- Check out the stuff posted below.
|
This sumi-e style painting by an unknown fan artist (but
credited to the well-known
Ike no
Taiga) depicts the alien invasion of 18th-century Japan:
Wow, an amazing collection of spacecraft from SF, created by
DirkLoechel on
deviantART. Click the image to see a HUGE version (4,000 by 5,600 pixels):
Watch the first episode of the small-budget YouTube film series,
DYNAMO:
|
extra Animated SF and the Young Audience
|
Topics for discussion:
- Discuss SF's appeal to young people.
- How do Disney and Pixar's animated narratives appeal to so broad an age range?
- Discuss this week's media focus, its relationship to science fiction,
and how animated media changes our narrative experience.
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia.
Assigned multimedia
|
Level Up! suggestions
- Critically watch and write about another relevant TV show or movie. Some
suggestions:
- Critically read and write about another relevant novel or short piece of science
fiction.
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class
and science fiction blog tags, specifically
the YA
(young adult)
tag, for more.
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
- Check out the stuff posted below.
|
|
Week 7: March 10 Frontiers & Space Westerns.
SF Television.
|
Topics for reading response (and Blackboard Discussion Board if you'd
like to earn Level Up points):
- What is a "frontier"?
- How does the frontier-person's experience differ from the explorers'?
- How does the narrative experience of television differ from
text-based fiction?
- How do television shows differ from movies?
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia.
Assigned multimedia
Watch:
- Cowboy Bebop, at least the first episode. This is the
anime series that gave rise to Firefly and much
cyberpunk to come (and the upcoming
live-action Netflix series)....
...or
Westworld, at least the first episode (three seasons).
- An episode of the fantastic Disney+ original,
The Mandalorian (based in the Star Wars universe)...
...or at least one ep of the SyFy-original bounty-hunters-in-space show,
Killjoys (five seasons)...
...or at least one ep of the Netflix original
Dark Matter (three seasons)...
...or at least the pilot ep of Firefly,
"Serenity"
(same name as the movie - also good, but I recommend
watching the shows first to get the full background)
- or more than one to Level Up!
Read:
click this "Full-time working single dad Mando" fanart to see source post
|
Level Up! suggestions
- Speaking of frontiers and such, the second Monday of October is
Indigenous Peoples' Day
(aka Columbus Day in several US states) - find and write about a piece of
colonialist or
imperialist
(or anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist) SF. Some resources:
- On the not-necessarily negative side of things, check out The Encyclopedia of SF's
"Colonization of Other Worlds" article.
- Check out some
Weird West
works - if you like such stories, check out the anthology
Westward Weird (where "Surveyor of Mars" comes
from).
- "Coolest Space Cowboys of All Time" listicle.
- Critically read and write about another science-fiction frontier novel or short piece. Some book suggestions:
- Critically watch and write about another relevant movie, TV show, or
other media with a science-fiction narrative where the frontier is a central
theme. Some suggestions:
- Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week:
- Listen to some of the podcast, Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars.
(YouTube video of the theme song here.)
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class and science fiction blog tags, specifically:
- Skim IMDb's "Highest-Rated Sci-Fi TV Series With At Least 1,000 Votes."
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
|
From
Cowboys and Aliens:
Killjoys poster:
|
No class during
Spring Break. If you're traveling, be safe!
|
Your mid-term project is due (at the latest)
by...
5:00pm Friday, April 1. Give it another revision pass. If you Level Up by performing a
peer-review / critique, get it to your partner with time for them to revise (no penalty for turning that in to me later).
|
Week 8: March 24 Gaming in SF. Animal Uplift.
|
* Special guest tonight:
Award-winning SF &
fantasy author
Kij Johnson *
Topics for discussion:
- Why does science fiction so often use animals (and uplifted animals) in
its narratives?
- How does the narrative experience of gaming differ from text-based
fiction?
- How do different games differ in the way they use (or ignore)
larger-scale narratives?
- Consider the diversity of types of games: arcade, board, computer and
console, LARP, miniatures, phone and mobile apps, RPG, tabletop, and so on
- how do they vary, and how does that change the narrative experience?
- Consider the different genres of games: action, adventure,
first-person, MMO, puzzle, RPG, strategy and RTS, simulation, and so on -
how do they vary, and how does that change the narrative experience?
- Discuss this week's media focus, its relationship to science fiction,
and how new media changes our narrative experience.
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia.
Assigned multimedia
Watch:
Browse
Wikipedia's list of video games consistently considered the best of all time by video game journalists and critics.
Read:
|
Level Up! suggestions:
- A whole bunch of authors inspired the Dungeons & Dragons RPG - check out
"Appendix
N" for a list.
- Read one of award-winning SF & fantasy author Kij Johnson's
stories - you can find lots of them free
online at
Tor.com here, and
Clarkesworld Magazine here (plus I linked a few below). She's a KU creative writing professor, too.
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class and
science fiction blog tags,
particularly the
gaming or
games
and animal intelligence
tags.
- Critically watch and write about another relevant movie, TV show, or
other media with a science-fiction narrative, such as:
- Critically read and write about another relevant short piece of
science fiction. Short story suggestions:
- Novel suggestions:
- Read and write about animals and sentient animals in SF.
- Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week:
- Check out more David Brin stuff:
- Brin's "Uplift
Universe" page.
- Sample chapter from his first Uplift novel,
Sundiver, which you can find on
Brin's
website here.
- Play (or watch played live or on video - YouTube is full of these) another SF
game,
keeping an eye on the narrative storytelling and how it differs from that of
other media types. Some suggestions:
-
Alpha Centauri - and
here's a playlist of all the animatics and cut-scenes.
- Bioshock.
- Cyberpunk (1980s, both a computer and role-playing game).
- Cyberpunk 2077 (in beta-testing).
- Dead Space.
-
Deus Ex.
- Eclipse Phase.
- Fallout.
- Half Life.
- Homeworld.
- Mass Effect.
- MechWarrior (several forms: computer, miniatures, role-playing, and
more)
- Metal Gear Solid.
- Myst.
- Nation States (based on the novel,
Jennifer Government).
- No Man's
Sky
- Portal.
- Second Life (more VR environment than game).
- Shadowrun (multiple forms as well).
- Soma Spacewar (1963, considered the first playable game).
- Traveller (from the 70s).
- Warhammer 40k.
- Read scholarship on SF gaming. Some suggestions:
|
Check out the
Wreck It Ralph trailer
here.
Edited and abbreviated excerpt
from the opening of 2001: A Space Odyssey,
when we see "The Dawn of Man"
(the moment when apes are uplifted to humans).
Tonight! More
details on their Facebook event page.
|
Wednesday the 23rd! More
details on their Facebook event page.
Week 9: March 31 Alien Invasions & Horror from Beyond the Stars.
|
Topics for discussion:
- Discuss alien invasions in SF.
- What is
horror,
and how does it differ from SF?
- What synergies can you find between SF and horror when they work
together?
- Why does horror work so well in movies?
- Why do we fear aliens?
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia.
- Focus on finishing and peer-reviewing your mid-term project.
Assigned multimedia
Read:
Watch:
-
Alien (1979)...
- ...or, if you're deeply familiar with that important
SF horror movie, watch the newer
Annihilation (2018)...
- ...or the new action-horror-apocalyptic-SF
movie, Moonfall (2022)...
- ...or at least one episode of the Netflix original series,
Stranger Things (2016-)...
- ...or the pilot episode of the Netflix original series,
Colony (2017-)...
- - or more than one of these to Level Up!
|
* Turn in your Final Project by 5pm this Friday for +8 bonus Level Up points *
Level Up! suggestions
- Read and write about the union of horror and science fiction.
- Or, specifically, read and write about more books, comics, or other work set in the
Alien or
Alien Vs. Predator universe.
- Fiction:
- Read and write further about
H.P. Lovecraft's "Cthulhu
Mythos" and the works that other authors created in his universe of
cosmological horror.
- Critically watch and write about another relevant movie, TV show, or
other media with a science-fiction narrative. Some suggestions:
- Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week:
- Critically or read and write about one of the multitude of
War of the
Worlds books, comics, radio shows, movies, or so forth.
- Critically read and write about another relevant novel or short piece of
science fiction.
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class and science fiction blog tags, specifically:
|
"Nowhere," from Guardians
of the Galaxy (click image to open a much larger version):
|
* Mid-Term and Final Project Pro-Tips *
If you haven't already, check out the highly respected Purdue OWL writing
site for the article, "Writing
a Research Paper" (lots more
great resources on their website).
Take advantage of the resources linked from the
Mid-Term and Final Project sections of this syllabus.
What you can learn from the sample papers in our "Course Documents"
section of the course Blackboard
site?
Be sure to get a
peer-review or peer critique of your project, and to peer-review other Mid-Term Projects -
turn in your reviews you did into the appropriate Blackboard Assignment slot to earn
Level Up points! Use your
peer-reviewers' feedback to make your project its best.
|
Your Mid-Term
Project is due (at the latest)
by...
Friday, April 1. Give it one more revision pass. If you Level Up by performing a
peer-review / critique, get it to your partner with time for them to revise (no penalty for turning that in to me later).
|
Week 10: April 7
Out of Time: Dinosaurs & Ancient History, Alternate History...
|
Topics for discussion:
- How do ancient history and time travel come together in SF narratives?
- What is
alternate history?
- How do they compare with
alternate universes?
- What's the relationship between alternate reality and time travel?
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia, its relationship to science
fiction, and how new media changes our narrative experience.
- Discuss why dinosaurs and other narratives of "deep time" continue to
capture our imaginations.
- Finish your mid-term project (due next Friday. Do a peer-review! Revise!).
Assigned multimedia
Read:
Watch:
- Jurassic
Park (the movie that launched the careers of ten thousand paleontologists!)....
...or, if you've watched it recently, one of the sequels.
- At least the "There's
More Than One of Everything" episode of
Fringe (Season 1 finale)...
...or at least the "The Wedding of River Song" episode of
Dr. Who
(Season 6, Episode 13)...
...or
Back to
the Future (especially the first one, but the sequels are cool
if you've seen it)... - or more than one to Level Up!
|
* Turn in your Final Project by 5pm this Friday for +7 bonus Level Up points *
Level Up! suggestions
Don't miss Karen Hellekson's relevant talk:
"Fandom and Alternate Histories"
Thursday, November 1
7:00 - 8:00pm
Lawrence Public Library Auditorium
- Check out James Gurney's Dinotopia
website.
- Check out the
Dinotopia section of fanfiction.net.
- Watch and write about:
- Check out some relevant games with a science-fiction narrative:
- Interact with and write about other time
travel or alternate history / universe media.
- Critically watch and write about another relevant movie, TV show, or
other media with a science-fiction narrative, such as:
- "Alternate Histories" episode of
Love, Death,
+ Robots (Volume 1, 2019).
- April and the Extraordinary World (2015).
- Jurassic World (the newest in the series), or another
movie in the series.
-
Loki (the 2021 Disney+ original series)
-
Looper (2012).
- The Man In The High Castle Amazon series (based on the Philip
K. Dick novel of the same name).
-
Predestination (2014), the film adaptation of Heinlein's classic story, "—All You Zombies—"
- Another episode of Fringe.
- "Remedial
Chaos Theory" episode from Community (episode 4, season 3).
- "Roswell that Ends Well" (2002 Emmy winner), episode
51 (S3) of Futurama.
-
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009).
All of the Terminator movies, of course, but this show really
dives into the time-travel aspect.
- The Umbrella Academy (2019-), a Netflix original
show.
- "Z'Ha'dum" episode of
Babylon 5.
- Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week:
- Critically read and write about another relevant novel or short piece of
science fiction, such as:
- "—All You Zombies—" (1959), the classic Robert A
Heinlein story that introduced the idea of "the Paradox Effect" and "I'm
my own grandpa."
- More of
Age of Reptiles.
- More of
Dinotopia.
- The classic Philip K Dick novel,
The Man In The High Castle - explores what might have happened if
the Axis powers won WWII. Less focused on gunfights and super-science
than
Wolfenstein and more on psychological questions.
- "A
Sound of Thunder" (1952; link opens a .pdf file) by Ray Bradbury -
the classic story where the term "the Butterfly Effect" comes from.
- The Time Machine (1895;
link goes to the free Project Gutenberg page), the novel that popularized the concept of time-travel and deep time, by H G Wells.
- More of Michael Swanwick's
dinosaur or alternate-history stories and novels.
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr Science Fiction Media Class
and Science fiction blog tags, specifically:
- More readings:
- Check out some relevant games with a science-fiction narrative.
- Interact with and write about other dinosaur or ancient history media.
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
- Check out some of the things listed below.
|
The "How It Should Have Ended" folks send-up
Jurassic Park.
Original Land of the Lost
TV show, episode 1 of season 1.
Trailer for The Man In The High Castle
Amazon series.
|
Week 11: April 14
AI & Robots, Biotech & Cyborgs, Biopunk & Cyberpunk.
|
Topics for discussion:
- What's the relationship between biotech and cybernetics?
- What are cyborgs and
cybernetic enhancements?
- How do
androids differ from humans, cyborgs, or robots?
- What is
Cyberpunk, and how does it especially inform the SF media?
- What will it mean to be human during in an age of increasing body-modification?
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia.
- Finish editing and peer-reviewing your mid-term project (due
Friday this
coming Monday - note the extension for peer-review and revision).
Assigned multimedia
Read:
Watch the Netflix original show
Altered Carbon, at least the pilot,
"Out of the Past"
plus one (or more) of these movies:
|
* Turn in your Final Project by 5pm this Friday for +6 bonus Level Up points *
Level Up! suggestions
- Read and write about more nonfiction or critical work about cyberpunk and cyborgs, such
as:
- The new religion that sets out to store memories for
centuries and deliver its believers into a world where our souls outlive our selves: "Terasem: The Rapture of the Nerds."
Critically read and write about another relevant cyberpunk story or
novel. Some suggestions:
-
Alif the Unseen, by G. Willow Wilson.
-
Ancillary Justice or its sequels, by Ann Leckie.
- "Maneki Neko," by Bruce Sterling
(referenced in "Cat Pictures Please").
- Cory Doctorow's short story, "I, Robot."
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (the book
Blade Runner was based on).
- The Red
series, includingFirst Light and
Going Dark, by Linda Nagata.
- James Gunn's novel,
The Immortals (which arose from "New Blood," then was made into a movie, TV series, then
a novelization).
- Lock In: A Novel of the Near Future, by John Scalzi.
- The rest of William Gibson's Neuromancer.
- Old Man's War, by John Scalzi.
- Robopocalypse, by Daniel H. Wilson.
- The Windup Girl, by Paolo Bacigalupi.
- WWW: Wake, by Robert J. Sawyer.
- The rest of
Y the Last Man (excerpt is from Book 1; there are now 4).
- Robopocalypse.
- The "Johnny Mnemonic" short story, by William Gibson.
The comic, "Why Atomic Robo Hates Dr. Dinosaur," by Ursula Vernon.
The
second
Global Frequency excerpt (see
Blackboard).
Critically watch and write about more relevant shows or movies with a
science-fiction narrative. Some examples:
- More of Altered Carbon.
- The short animated series,
The
Animatrix - all available to watch online here. It's the
prequel to
The Matrix (also by the Wachowskis), setting up how the war
between humans and AI got started.
- If you haven't watched
The Matrix yet, you really ought to, and this is a great
week for it.
-
Battlestar Galactica (the recent one) TV show.
-
Black Mirror (just about any episode).
-
Big Hero 6.
- Short video about
Bina48.
- Pretty much any episode of the Netflix original series
Black Mirror.
- The movie
Blade Runner 2049.
- Chappie
(Neill Blomkamp's movie about AI).
- The Congress (mind-bending transhuman / posthuman 2013 film).
- Ex Machina
(2015) - brilliant story about the issues surrounding the desire to
create, control, and exploit AI.
-
Ghost in the Shell (1995), based on the Japanese
seinen (adult) manga,
Mobile Armored Riot Police.
There's also a recent live-action version of the film that's worth
seeing to debate problematic aspects of Hollywood.
- Hardcore Henry, a violent movie filmed in the
first-person-shooter point of view.
- Her (2013) -
what if our device operating systems are AIs? Very sweet.
- "Data's Dreams" episode of
Star Trek: The Next Generation (especially - much of the
show is relevant).
- More of the
DYNAMO series of short YouTube films.
- The Netflix original anthology series,
Love, Death, + Robots (2019-), mostly animated.
-
Johnny Mnemonic (based on Gibson's short story)
- Maniac
(brilliant 2018 Netflix original limited series).
- If you haven't watched
The Matrix yet, you really ought to, and this is a great
week for it.
-
Raised By Wolves (2021-), the HBO Max original series about two
androids raising the last human children on an alien planet.
- Any more of the
Terminator movie saga.
- An episode of
The Sarah Connor Chronicles great spinoff
series in the
Terminator universe that follows the life of
John and Sarah Connor between the movies.
Some biotech movie suggestions:
Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week:
Multimedia:
Want to take it up another level to the ultimate in transformation of
the human body and mind?
Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class and
science fiction blog tags, specifically:
Great
gifset of Sci-Fi Noir Films on Tumblr.
Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
Check out some of the material linked below.
|
"It's Payback Time": Their world is in the grip of a lethal outbreak.
A mysterious blue substance is leading to catastrophic destruction....
Check out
"The Last Bastion," a bittersweet video about a battle-robot rebooting in a forest
(Overwatch).
What is life? Is
Bina48 a life-form? What does this being say
about what it means to be human? Check out this video
Check out xkcd.
Here's an great example
(and don't forget to hover your mouse over the comics to see the full narrative):
Cyborg-lifestyle jewelry that harvests human energy to operate
(click pic for details):
Check out
Penny
Arcade; they're famous for a couple of their robots, but I hesitate
to post them here. Here's one less-problematic comic:
Listen to William Gibson read from
Neuromancer (YouTube video):
|
Week 12:
April 21
Dystopias & Social Science Fiction.
|
Topics for discussion:
Assigned multimedia
Read:
Watch Mad
Max: Fury Road...
or, if you've already seen it, prepare to discuss it plus an episode or two of:
- Black
Mirror (just about any episode of the Netflix original series, 2011-).
- Oats
Studios (Netflix original, 2021), a Neill Blomkamp series of experimental,
dystopian short films.
Check out the comic embedded below.
|
* Turn in your Final Project by 5pm this Friday for +5 bonus Level Up points *
Level Up! suggestions
- Check out CRACKED's piece,
"Why The Flintstones
Takes Place in a Post-Apocalyptic Future."
- Hilarious philosophical webcomic that riffs on Mad Max: "Mad Marx: The
Class Warrior."
- Critically read and write about other dystopian worlds, such as:
-
1984 - book, movie, etc. Here's a
full-length audiobook, and here's the
BBC movie,
both on YouTube.
-
April and the Extraordinary World (2015).
-
Area X (or any of the individual short novels in
The
Southern Reach Trilogy: Annihilation; Authority; Acceptance),
by Jeff VanderMeer (the first was made into a 2018 movie).
-
The Execution Channel, by Ken MacLeod.
-
The Handmaid's Tale (novel), by Margaret Atwood.
-
HARM, by Brian Aldiss.
- The Hunger Games (novel).
-
Jennifer Government, by Max Barry.
-
Market Forces, by Richard Morgan.
-
Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel.
- The rest of the full-length V for Vendetta book.
- Pretty much any of Paolo Bacigalupi's work (such as his novel,
The Windup Girl).
- Critically watch and write about another relevant movie, TV show, or
other media with a science-fiction narrative. Some examples:
- Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week:
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
Science Fiction Media Class and
science fiction blog tags, specifically:
- Great
gifset of Sci-Fi Noir Films on Tumblr.
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
|
Who do you think is more accurate, Huxley or Orwell? Click
to see this comic in the original context, full-sized:
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Week 13: April 28
Fandom & Transformative Works.
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* I hope to host a special guest tonight:
Popular
fanfic writer,
fanart creator,
cosplayer, and
fandom community-builder
Lydia Ash *
Topics for discussion:
- What is
fanfiction,
and what's its place in SF?
- How does the narrative experience of fan-created narratives differ from
traditional fiction?
- Discuss this week's media focus, its relationship to science fiction,
and how new media changes our narrative experience.
- Discuss today's assigned multimedia.
Assigned multimedia
- Read:
- Watch at least
this episode from
Star Trek
Continues.
- Check out this major fan project:
Star Wars: The Despecialized Edition (making-of video linked below).
- And be sure to check out at least some of the Tumblr fandom-related
posts linked in the "Level Up! suggestions" section to the right:
Tumblr is still the best home for fandom in mainstream social media
- see over there for more -->
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* Turn in your Final Project by 5pm this Friday for +4 bonus Level Up points *
Level Up! suggestions
Want to show off your Halloween costume or favorite cosplay? Come to class (show
it off via Zoom or post to the Discussion Board) in costume and get bonus points!
Attend one (or both!) of Karen Hellekson's talks:
"Fan Studies Overview / Academic Careers Outside Academia" Monday, October 22 4:00
- 6:00pm KU Kansas Union, Crossroads Room
"Fandoms and Alternative Histories" Thursday, November 1 7:00 - 8:00pm
Lawrence Public Library Auditorium
Facebook event page here.
(I urge you to attend - I'll make sure class is out a few minutes early)
- I strongly recommend you check out the important
fan-studies journal,
Transformative Works and Cultures, which recently
celebrated their 10th anniversary in the issue, "The Future of Fandom."
- Read at least one article that interests you.
- KU alum Karen Hellekson is co-founder and editor (and contributor).
- Create your own fan work!
This could be creative or
critical - see the list of types in the tag links below. I've added a
special Blackboard Assignment slot just for this optional project. Feel free to share it with the rest of class via Zoom chat or a Discussion Board link!
If you do a creative project (such as fanfic, fanvid, fanart,
cosplay, podcast, musical filk, or so forth), include an Artist's Statement
that describes what you're aiming to do, and let me know how it responds to the original work (and tell me what work it is!)
If you create a visual project (art, cosplay, etc), take enough good photos for me to get a full view of it.
You can also write a traditional critical or analytical paper, or an informal
fan-meta piece.
Either way, you can do it as a blog post, fanvid,
podcast, illustrated work, or whatever other media form you feel best
represents or informs what you're trying to say. Bonus points vary based on effort, from
3 - 12 (or more for deeply challenging projects).
- Check out some of local fic writer (and KU alum)
Lydia Ash's
fanfic (Caution: NSFW!) on AO3 here.
- Hunt down another piece of fanfic or transformed media. Some examples:
-
The War of the Worlds book (from 1898) has been made into multiple
movies, radio plays, comics, and so forth, and even has sequels.
- Frankenstein is another, as is Dracula.
- What other IPs
can you think of that have such an enduring following?
- Critically read and write about:
- The piece of fanfic linked from "the
theory of narrative causality" blog post (referenced in the
Fic piece).
The author's prompt to write this fic: "Sherlock and John are BNFs in
Sherlock Holmes fandom. Together, they fight crime. (Always.) And write
porn, incidentally."
Note: NSFW!
- At least one more science-fiction piece from
AO3,
Fanfiction.net, or
Wattpad. Tumblr, LiveJournal, and other sites host lots of fanfic and
original (amateur) fiction, but it's tougher to find amid the huge mass of blog posts.
- Other fanfiction or transformative work.
- Another relevant novel or short piece of
science fiction.
- Check out Can't Stop the Serenity, a
Firefly (and Serenity
movie) fan organization dedicated to "the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world."
- Critically watch and write about another relevant movie, TV show, or
other media with a science-fiction narrative.
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
- Especially this week, when we're discussing fandom, check out some of these relevant
science fiction media class and
science fiction
fandom-specific tags on my Tumblr blog (which, for many
users, is primarily a fan-blogging site):
- AUs (alternate-reality or
alternate-universe versions of the canon
setting)
-
Canon (what the creators and IP holders intended for a work).
-
Cosplay (fan costuming).
-
Cross-genre (mixed-genre work).
-
Crossovers (mixed-fandom stuff).
-
Fanart (art by fans).
-
Fandom (fan culture).
-
Fan edits (fan-created content, usually remixes of
images, often with text or shared as animated gifs, often pulled from
different sources).
-
Fanfic (fan fiction).
-
Fan meta (often-serious discussion of fandom topics, sometimes
scholarly, sometimes just heated).
-
Fanvids (videos by fans).
-
Fandom wank (arguments within fandom, usually
heated).
-
Filk (fan music).
-
Fixit fic (fan materials that change something about
the original canon, fixing what they see as a basic flaw; related to
headcanon).
-
Headcanon (fan ideas or beliefs about their fandom
that're usually not
canon;
often related to fixit fic) and
headcanon accepted.
-
Memes (in the context of fandom, usually images from pop culture [sometimes "shitposts"
/
sh*tposts]
edited to say something new that has added depth the more you understand
all the elements and background fandoms).
-
Slash (when fans put characters together intimately, especially when
the relationship is not canon to the original text. Tends to be more
sexy than "ships," short for "relationships."
- Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week,
so many things, especially:
- Check out some of the material below.
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Star Trek Continues is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning and fan-produced webseries
(here
are their YouTube episodes). The show is the brainchild of long-time Star
Trek TOS fan and talented Producer, Director, Actor, Voice-Actor and musician Vic Mignogna.
Vic and the team of talented film professionals have put together one of the most recognized and popular fan-productions ever made.
Vic Mignogna and team are proud to be part of Star Trek history with the fan production aimed at completing the final two years of the original 5-year mission.
This episode below is a fan response to the original episode linked after it:
This episode; is a fan response to the original Trek episode,
"Who Mourns for Adonais?"
Check out this fanvid
(and click here for process details)
using imagery from many SF shows and movies.
How involved do some fans get with their favorite work? Check
out the lengths to which one group went to recapture the original Star Wars
Episode IV: A New Hope
in
Star Wars: The Despecialized Edition:
Here's the short documentary about making this fan edition.
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* Final Project Pro-Tips *
If you haven't already, check out the highly respected Purdue OWL writing
site for the article, "Writing
a Research Paper" (lots more
great resources on their website).
Take advantage of the resources linked from the
Mid-Term and Final Project sections of this syllabus.
What you can learn from the sample papers in our "Course Documents"
section of the course Blackboard
site?
Be sure to get a
peer-review or peer critique of your project, and to peer-review other Mid-Term Projects -
turn in your reviews you did into the appropriate Blackboard Assignment slot to earn
Level Up points! Use your
peer-reviewers' feedback to make your project its best.
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Week 14: May 5 Interactive & Blurred Media. What's the Future of
SF Storytelling?
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Topics for discussion:
- How does the narrative experience you get from experiencing combined
multimedia forms differ from that of reading text-based fiction?
- What is interactive media?
- How is annotated reality changing our media experience?
- At what point does narrative media become so immersive that it becomes
interactive?
- What comes next for science fiction? What is it today?
- Discuss this week's media and focus and their relationship to science
fiction.
- What's the future of storytelling, and how might SF adapt to a
changing world?
Assigned multimedia
Read:
Check out:
Also check out some of the suggested Level Up ideas, especially some
of the mixed media.
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* Turn in your Final Project by 5pm this Friday for +3 bonus Level Up points *
Level Up! suggestions
- Check out and write about other interactive narratives - something that's
gaining ground is annotated and virtual reality. Read more about these
forms:
- Consider some works you think represent the future of SF. Here are a few
of my suggestions:
- Critically watch and write about a TV show or movie that reflects what
you feel is the future of SF.
- Critically read and write about another relevant novel or short piece of
science fiction - especially if it's an "addventure" (multiple authors
collaborating) or other interactive or community piece.
- Read Wikipedia's Cross-genre
article.
- Do some research about what you feel is the future of SF and the
narrative media. Some ideas:
- What even is this thing we've been talking about all semester, "science
fiction"?
This interactive guide to SF subgenres is really useful; check it out.
- Also super-cool is their
big, interactive genre map.
- Critically watch and write about at least one short film on
McKitterick's ever-growing SF Media course vids curated playlists on YouTube,
including specific SFnal topics. For this week:
- Check out McKitterick's curated Tumblr
science fiction media class and science fiction
blog tags, specifically:
- Respond to this or another week's in-class discussions.
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Week 15: Thursday, May 5 Presentations!
We'll have presentations (for groups who choose this project) this week.
Ad Astra!
Presentation order: TBA
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Level Up opportunity ends Dec 8:
Facebook event
page
here.
Finals Week (no class)
Final Project due at the latest by 5:00pm on Friday, May 13
If you Level Up by performing a
peer-review / critique on another classmate's project, get it to your partner with time for them to revise (no penalty for turning that in to me
later).
Turn in any missing projects and additional Level Ups
by Thursday, May 19, at 5:00pm.
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Course Requirements
To successfully complete the course and get out of it all you can, you are required to:
- Participate in class, which means being involved in every week's
discussion.
- Help lead at least a couple class discussions with
partners.
- Engage with all the required readings and multimedia.
- Write insightful weekly responses to those materials.
- Write a formal mid-term research paper.
- Participate in a live group presentation on one of the final days of class.
- Create a final project, due at the end of the semester.
To earn top scores and get a great final grade, be sure to Level Up
whenever possible!
Class Periods
Each week we'll discuss a variety of SF works, their creators, the science fiction
genre, multimedia tools and delivery means, and the ever-changing content and
context of our cybernetic world. Occasionally, we might
have guest speakers or participants. Class periods revolve largely around discussion, with some
lecture and audio-visual presentations.
Be civil: These are discussions about ideas, not arguments! Civility and respect for the opinions of others are
vital for a free exchange of ideas. You might not agree with everything I or
others say in the classroom, but I expect respectful behavior and interaction all times. When you disagree with someone, make a distinction between
criticizing an idea and criticizing the person. Similarly,
try to remember that discussions can become heated, so if someone seems to be
attacking you, keep in mind they take issue with your idea, not who
you are, and respond appropriately. Expressions or actions that disparage a person's
age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression,
nationality, race, religion, or sexual orientation - or their marital, parental, or veteran status
- are contrary to the mission of this course and will not be tolerated. If we
all strive to be decent human beings, we'll all get the most out of this course!
Related: Violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to the same kinds of
accountability and support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, and so on.
If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted and you want to speak in confidence to a trained counselor,
contact the Sexual Trauma and Abuse Center (785-843-8985 or
support@stacarecenter.org). You might also want to contact
Lawrence Memorial Hospital Emergency Room (785-505-6162). To pursue disciplinary action or criminal
charges against the perpetrator, contact the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access (785-864-6414;
instructions on how to file a complaint here), the KU Police (785-864-5900), or the
Lawrence Police (785-832-7509).
Attendance and Class Participation
This is a discussion-based course, so class participation is weighed heavily.
Coming to class and getting involved in the discussions each session is necessary
not only for
getting a good grade, but also for getting the most value
from the course. The discussions aren't just explication of plot or concept,
though we will discuss those; I
expect you to exercise your critical-reading skills. That is, don't just go
through the material for pleasure, don't just accept reviews or scholarship as
canon, and don't feel the need to agree with your classmates' ideas - no one
scholar can tell you the True Nature of Science Fiction Media.
By the end of this course you will possess a broad understanding of the
science fiction genre and the weekly
topics. During the discussions, I want to witness your growing understanding of
the genre and media tools based on the required "readings," your outside
discoveries and viewings, and your own experience with SF and the media over the
years. Of course, be polite and diplomatic. Avoid dominating discussions, mindlessly
blathering, talking over others, or speaking even when someone shyer than you
has already raised their hand; doing so frequently can negate possible bonuses.
Exercise your socialization: If you're normally shy, here's your chance to talk
about something you love! If you're normally domineering, tone it down.
During discussions, do not expose yourself or others to distractions such as checking email,
Twitter, or so forth. If you're looking up relevant multimedia content, do so in a way that
doesn't distract you or your classmates. Obviously, turn off your phone's ringer/buzzer. I know it's
sometimes a challenge to focus during extended discussion, but recent studies
show that the human mind cannot pay attention to more than one thing at a time,
and fracturing your attention means you're not getting everything possible out
of each discussion. Even worse, monkeying around online also interrupts your neighbors'
attention.
Feel free to take notes on your computer or portable device - for pulling up your
notes or looking for content to share - if you
choose, just stay away from distractions. It's difficult to remain
engaged in discussions if your mind is elsewhere, and doing so also bumps down your overall
grade. On the other hand, actively participating in class discussions bumps up
your overall grade.
I'm sure you have heard this before, but it's as true as ever: You get out of any
activity only what you put into it. The more effort and creativity you apply to
your projects and to class discussions, the more you will learn and the better
the class will be for everyone else, as well. If you do not regularly attend
class or do not participate in discussions, you'll miss out on a lot of
opportunities to learn and grow as a person.
Be sure to show up and
get involved!
Base value: 3 per class session x 13
classes = 39 points base score.
Level Up
- Never miss a class: +4.
- Great participants in the weekly discussions can earn up to +13
points or more over the course of the semester!
Penalty
Missing class is the surest way to lose points here: -3 points per
missed week (after the first).
If you know you are going to miss a class for an academic
event, illness, or other excusable reason, contact me as soon as possible to
see if we can work out something so it does not negatively affect your overall grade
too much. If
appropriate, I can mitigate this loss so your attendance percentage remains unaffected.
If you need to leave in the middle of class due to personal emergency or you
sense a threat, please let me know later so I can take that into account.
Discussion Leaders
Your instructor will likely open each day with some background on science
fiction or media forms, particularly the topics and genre movements relevant to
the day's discussions. After that, two or more students lead (not monopolize)
the discussion. (Your instructor also brings his own prompts and notes, so
you're not alone.) Everyone is required to help lead discussions for at least
two sessions during the semester. If you have special needs and cannot perform
this task, let me know early.
Discussants perform additional research
prior to class (further readings or multimedia content related to the day's
themes, and
so forth) and come prepared with at least 4-6 questions and discussion prompts
each
to stimulate discussion among your peers about the day's topic and content, in
addition to your personal response notes. Turn in your discussion
questions and plans
as part (or most) of your response for that day
(in addition to your response paper). Also post your
discussion questions to that week's text-based discussion board, and check in
after class (by Friday night) to see if the discussion could use your input.
I expect all students
to participate in discussions, and also that discussion leaders avoid
talking too much or talking over others. These are discussions
about ideas, not arguments or lectures!
If you would like to suggest relevant content (stories, comics, game
narratives, shows, movies, or so forth) for the week you're leading discussion,
by all means drop me an email with links to the materials! Due to the nature of
the popular media, new stuff is always appearing, and you might know of
something great. This is a cooperative course! I'm happy to add links (or even
replace less-important content) with your suggestions, given enough time for the
rest of the class to read or otherwise study it. For sure share your suggestions
in the discussion boards!
You can split up the tasks among your fellow discussant(s) based
on content, topics, themes, media forms, or however you see fit. I expect everyone to serve
equally.
Base value: 5 x 2 sessions = 10 base points.
Level Up
- Lead more than two sessions (if needed): +3 per extra
session.
- Discussion leaders who facilitate particularly excellent class
sessions: +1 for each Discussion Day of Awesome.
- Discussion leaders whose preparation is really stand-out (lots of extra
research, extra discussion prompts, multimedia use in class, sharing resources with the class, and so
on): +1 for each Discussion Day of Awesome.
- Discussion leaders whose suggested content makes it onto the weekly
pages (you must submit links at least two weeks in advance): +1
for each week's new content.
- Possibly more ways to get bonuses - be a kick-butt discussion leader!
If you suffer from social anxiety, please talk to me so we can work out an
alternative to leading discussions.
Projects
In addition to good in-class participation, much of your
grade depends on the short response papers you write on a weekly basis, plus your
longer and more in-depth
Final Project. If you use non-standard software
to create your projects, save them in standard formats (I prefer .doc format
files, but I'll accept .docx .html,
.rtf, and .pdf formats as needed). Turn in
papers via Blackboard
before class begins on the due date or by end of day when we
don't meet for class. Turn in
papers via Blackboard
before class begins on the
due date or by end of day on days when we don't meet for class.
They will be graded and returned via Blackboard in a reasonable time.
Want to enhance your literary-criticism chops and Level Up by incorporating traditional
(or novel) lit-crit approaches into your papers? Check out
this
overview page about "Literary-Criticism Approaches to Studying Science Fiction."
Let me know if you have suggestions on ways to enhance that page.
Want to improve your writing? I strongly encourage you to contact the
KU Writing Center. There
you can talk about your writing with trained tutors and consult reference
materials in a comfortable working environment. You may ask for feedback on your papers, advice and tips on writing (for all your courses), or guidance on special writing tasks. Check their website for current locations and hours. The Writing Center welcomes both drop-ins and appointments, and they
don't charge for their services. For more information, call (785)864-2399 or email
writing@falcon.cc.ukans.edu The website is loaded with helpful information about writing, so even if you consider yourself a good writer, check it out!
Response Papers
Prior to each class, write a
very short (300 words or more, about one page) response paper and
turn it in via Blackboard in the "Week [x]:
[topic] Response Paper" slot. To see good examples of response papers, check the Blackboard
Course Documents folder. Along
with participation in each day's discussion, these papers are an important
measure of your engagement with the topics. You'll
write one for every week of the semester, so keep up with your
readings and responses! I've heard from former students that they find these
very useful for future reference, so hang on to them.
This paper is a brief but thoughtful response
to all of the materials for that day. (If you go a little long, that's
better than too short, but be kind to your teacher!) Provide your thoughts on
the assigned works in terms of theme, ideas, character, story, setting, artistic
qualities, position in the SF canon, influence on other works, use of the
various media forms, comparisons to the original print texts (if appropriate),
and so forth.
Don't just
provide a plot
summary. I'm looking for insightful, critical, and thoughtful reflections on
all the required works. Articulate how the various storytelling media affect the pieces under
consideration - artistically, narratively, visually, in the social context, and
so on - and how the affect your understanding of SF and the various media
forms.
Consider each of these as outlining exercises for potential future projects,
such as your Mid-Term and Final projects for this course, or for your
undergraduate thesis, or a deep-dive post for your blog or podcast, or so forth.
As in the discussions, exercise your critical-reading, -listening, and
-viewing skills when writing these responses; that is, don't just read the fiction,
watch the movies, or otherwise interact with the content simply for pleasure - and don't just accept everything
that scholars and critics have written about them as canon. I want to hear how
you synthesize
new ideas from the assigned materials, your additional readings and other
interactions, and your own experiences. The best way to do a good job here is to
take notes as you're reading or watching or listening, then
expand upon those notes for the papers you turn in.
Regarding format: Many people use bullets for discussion points, bold the
titles of the works you're discussing, or use the titles as headings.
Some people write responses that resemble essays, citing the works in tandem, while others
merely respond to each individually.
However you prefer to handle it is fine, but what's most important is that you've thought through all the
works for each day and their relationship to one another as well as to the
overall SF genre. (Also, if you write it in a non-standard word processor, save it as .doc or .docx so I can read it. No .wps, .pages, or so
forth.)
Tip: Even if you aren't leading the week's discussion, feel free to include at least a couple of questions to pose to the class or points to
stimulate discussion. I suggest bringing your response to
class - especially your questions - to help formulate ideas during discussion. (Also be sure to turn them in via
Blackboard in advance
of class.) They
are usually scored in
Blackboard by the following week.
Weekly Paper Scoring
Base value: 2 points x 14 = 28 total.
Here is how I score the papers you turn in each week:
0: No paper, or poor one turned in late.
1: At least
convinces me you completed some of the reading, viewing, or so forth.
2: Convinces me you completed most of
the required materials,
or provides interesting
insights on some of them. Discussion leaders: Providing your
list of discussion questions on the required materials earns you this score.
3: Convinces me you completed
all of the required materials, or
provides interesting insights on most of them. Discussion leaders: Providing your list of
discussion questions on the required materials, plus offering some indication
that you completed all of them, earns you this score.
4 - Level Up: References
all the required materials, and shares
thoughtful responses or interesting insights to everything, or does a good job
with those plus discusses your
thoughts on additional relevant materials to the week's content (+1).
Discussion leaders: Providing your list of discussion questions
plus insightful responses to all the materials, earns you
this score.
5 - Level Up: All of above,
plus discusses your
thoughts on additional relevant materials to the week's content
or in-class discussions (+2). Discussion
leaders: Providing your list of discussion questions on all the required
and additional materials, plus your brilliant insights, plus additional materials relevant*, earns you this score.
That means you could possibly earn a 75% bonus over the base score for your
reading responses
by Leveling Up every time! Up to +42 - wow!
Level Up-only Responses
If you create a separate response that's just for Level Up bonus
points (for example, you attend a relevant talk or watch a relevant movie on a
week when we're focusing on something else), you can turn in your bonus response paper
in the general
Level Up
or Movies Assignment slots on
Blackboard. You'll
earn bonus points for each of those, too! Point value varies widely, from +1 (for
some references to additional materials relevant to the assigned materials) to
+2 (for a thorough discussion of the
Level Up materials), or even more to reward a significant amount of effort
to expand your understanding of SF and the various media (a big example might be
attending a conference and writing up a thoughtful response and sharing your insights gained;
a small one could be a relevant talk, TV show, movie, concert, game session, or
so forth).
If the Level Up content is relevant to a particular
week's assigned materials or subject focus, you can turn it in to that
Assignment slot, instead - just be sure to drop a note
in the "Comment" field that this document is for Level Up only, not your regular response...
or, better yet, just include it on the bottom of your regular submission
(and title it as Level Up) to earn
those bonus points.
* Some examples of additional materials to
cover in your response paper include a short story, an episode of a show, a comic (issue of a printed comic or multi-page online comic),
an SF event (convention, book-club gathering,
book release or reading, significant fan event, or so on), a movie, relevant website interaction (for example,
articles or actively reading and responding on a fan-site), game-time long enough to experience significant story narrative, browsing
through (with intent, using your critical skills) a large series of art pieces (such as paintings, sculptures, photographs, and the like), or so forth.
You can also count something
that you actively create and share with others, such as fanfiction, fan-art, thoughtful blogging, or so forth.
This is something that should take the average person at least an hour or two to
fully appreciate, consider, and respond to (yes, I have a pretty solid gauge for
this). If you've created something that's posted online, just turn in a direct link to it. Please use standard file formats; don't make me
have to buy or download software just to see it,
or set up an account just to read it.
* You may include a response to Monday's
discussion in the Wednesday response -
but if you want to earn a Level Up bonus for responding to Thursday's discussion
after you've already turned in your Thursday response, feel free to make a
second submission with your revised response by the end of each weekend. I'll
wait to score Thursday responses until Monday, in order to give you time to do
so.
Penalty
Late papers get -1 point each if turned in after
the relevant class session begins. (Level Up bonus responses are never
penalized, but please don't wait until the last week to turn those in.) Turn
them in on time! Missing response papers are due ASAP, at the very latest during Finals Week.
Mid-Term Project
Choose either a set of materials from the syllabus or
an equivalent level of research using other materials, perform additional
research beyond the required materials for that topic, and write a
short, formal paper about them or their themes. Additionally,
cover at least three more short
pieces or at least one book- or movie-length piece; these may be fiction, nonfiction,
multimedia, or other sources that support or illustrate your themes. If you'd
like, think of this project as an
extended reading response with additional support and a bibliography and other
references as appropriate (Wikipedia is not a source, but is often a good place
to find sources), or a formal paper that uses those works to make an argument or
provide interesting insights.
You can choose to write this as a traditional paper or a multimedia project;
see the sub-sections below for details.
Your topic can be anything relevant to the course: See the
"Course Goals" section of the syllabus for some guidance, but
basically I want to see you pursue whatever most excites you about SF and its
narrative expression through various media forms. Talk to me if you still have any questions!
Some resources you might find useful:
Base value: 40 points
Level Up
- Work with a classmate to
peer-review one another's projects.
- See
this page for how to
successfully do a peer critique, which also describes what I'm looking for in
what you turn in for your Level Up assignment.
- Not only does performing a peer-review earn you bonus points,
but it will also improve both of your papers!
- Bonus points you can earn here can vary
widely based on how much effort you put into your review: up to +10.
- Include an annotated bibliography
(regular bibliography is required, and neither counts toward total
word-count): +4.
- Meet all the requirements, above, but also deliver your project in a
functional multimedia form that works with text (website, comic, or so
forth): up to +4.
- Teach me
something new, make and support an original or thoughtful argument, or so
forth: up to +4.
- Turn in your project early and earn more bonus points: 1 week early =
up to +4, 2 weeks = up to +6.
- Possibly more ways to get bonuses. Write a kick-butt paper!
Penalty
A late Mid-Term Paper loses -2 points per day late for the first
five days late (that's -10 after a week), then -2 points per day late after that.
"Late" is after the due day. Turn
them in on time! Missing papers are due ASAP, at the very latest during Finals Week (at
a deduction).
Traditional Paper
I grade formal papers on the quality and diversity of research (both
fictional and non-fictional), the writing (including grammar and spelling), the
quality of thesis and argument, the quality and diversity of research, and how
interesting you make it. What I most want is for you to
demonstrate what you've learned from the course readings, your outside readings,
and in-class discussions, and how you express this synthesis: Demonstrate your
understanding of science fiction narratives in the various media.
We'll spend as much time in class discussing what goes into writing
successful papers as we need, because I want you to feel confident when you
embark on this project and successful with your finished product. For additional guidance into how to write great research papers,
check out
this page on the highly respected Purdue OWL writing site: "Writing
a
Research Paper," where you'll find tons of great tips and guidance.
If you haven't yet done so, check out the "Sample response and
mid-term papers, scoring rubrics" items in the Course Documents
section of our
Blackboard site. In addition to containing a handy reference on how to
make your paper the best it can be, you'll also find sample response papers and
mid-term papers.
If you are writing a traditional essay, this paper must
be at least 1000 words, up to a max of 3000 words
(longer might be okay, just consider how much your teacher must read). References, bibliographies, artist's statements, and endnote pages do not
count toward your word-count.
Format your bibliography as appropriate for your field of study (MLA
for much of the Humanities,
Chicago for most other fields, and so forth;
here's
a good list of style guides).
This is not something that you can successfully complete at the last minute.
The research paper represents a deep investigation of topics that
interest you. Turn in this project via
Blackboard.
Multimedia or Creative Project
If you think another form - and your skill and experience with it - can
answer the question better, you may create a project in another media format:
extended comic (not just a strip), short film or documentary, music, podcast,
collection of artworks or photographs, website or app, creative nonfiction,
extended and believable fan-response that offers alternative takes, or so forth. Multimedia projects must demonstrate
a similar or greater level of effort as the traditional paper, and clearly answer the question, as well.
We'll discuss this more in class.
A creative work of this kind
must seriously address ideas and themes. If fictional, you must create believable, interesting
characters living in a convincing, fully realized world, dealing with
science-fictional concerns in addition to
revealing substantial understanding of science fiction and the media form you're
using.
If this is a written document, use the same word-count requirements as the
traditional paper... unless it's multimedia, in which case art or other elements
can help display equivalent effort at a shorter word-count.
For the purposes of this course, also include an
annotated bibliography
(not often included in such works). This is particularly important if you
pursue the multimedia option, because I want to see the diversity of references that
inspired you (and how), and those that helped you develop your work (both
fictional and non-fictional). Show me your research through a good annotated
bibliography, demonstrate your understanding of science fiction, and make your
creative work stand on its own. An annotated bibliography is a set of references that
provide a summary of your readings and research, to give me an idea of where you
got your inspiration, scientific or technical resources, and so forth.
List your sources alphabetically and include a brief summary or annotation
for each work that you quote in the paper or that you use as a reference
(or inspiration). Format your annotated bibliography as
appropriate for your field of study (MLA
for much of the Humanities,
Chicago for most other fields, and so forth;
here's
a good list of style guides).
To be crystal-clear in defining how your
creative work displays your understanding of SF and multimedia narratives, please also include an
"artist's statement," as it
very much helps me in evaluating creative work. Write this either as an appendix
to your document (but doesn't count toward a word-count) or as a stand-alone
.doc file that you also turn in to
Blackboard.
Be aware that this option is more challenging
- especially if you haven't taken creative-writing, film-making, or visual-arts
courses - because this course isn't about teaching how to write a great story or make a
great movie, only examining them.
Click
here for some useful creative-writing resources.
Turn in this project via
Blackboard. Many who
create such projects post them to an appropriate media host; give me a link to
where your project lives, and upload to
Blackboard your annotated bibliography and artist's
statement, as well.
Group Presentation
: Level-Up Only
Due to the pandemic, I'm not requiring this
group project for 2020.
If you would like to create a formal presentation or multimedia project and
share it with the rest of class, you'll earn bonus points.
Information below is for those who wish to create a project to share with
class (via the discussion board or elsewhere online we can find it), and for
future course offerings. You can create one on your own or with a team to help
with larger or more-complex multimedia projects.
-
For many, this is the final project you'll create, so put your all into it! The two last weeks of the course are reserved for student
multimedia presentations. Sometime during mid-semester, pitch your great idea for the in-class presentation project, build teams, chat,
and otherwise prep for the last class sessions.
Your job is to share your understanding of SF
and popular media forms through a live or multimedia presentation to your classmates. You can
create your own vision or present about particular SF works, genre movements, films, TV shows,
graphic novels, games, or other topics - it's up to you! /p>
What's the "big picture" you've taken away about science fiction
and the various media forms we've examined this semester? How have you come to understand how SF reflects human beings experiencing change,
and how does your chosen form (or that of the works you examine) especially
reflect the nature of change and technological opportunity? Especially strive to elucidate what SF means to you, how it informs the future,
and how the various media forms change SF. And be sure to share your insights into the future of speculative fiction,
either by example or discussion.
The form of the presentation is open: Feel free to make it a panel discussion, debate, movie, live game, quiz-show, radio play, skit,
guided interactive activity, or other form.
Let your imagination run free! This is a great opportunity to express yourself and your understanding of science fiction and its
delivery forms, as well as its future shape, its creators and creative side, ideas and inspirations, and so forth.
Form up with a group of students (3-5 is optimal), and present for a total of about
5 minutes per group member; that is, a 4-person group presents for 20 minutes, while a 5-person group presents for about
25 minutes. If you're showing a short
(5-20 minute) film or other finished project that you created, bring discussion prompts for afterward. Your group chooses a topic that illustrates or dramatizes
what you all feel is important about science fiction
and popular media forms, works together to develop the idea into a shape suitable for sharing with others, then presents it to the class.
Be polite: Don't run over your time limit! We'll have a little extra time after
each presentation for a short Q&A session.
Every group member provides an equal level of participation overall,
including research, preparation, and presentation. You may decide if one member
is more of a script-writer or video-editor than actor or presenter, for example,
as long as everyone's work is balanced - just let me know how you divided the work in the Submission notes section of
the
Blackboard assignment slot. You may divide your total number of minutes among the presenters however you see fit,
but be sure to let me know how each participated in the project if you're not dividing your live-presentation time equally. Each individual within the group is
graded on the clarity and organization of the presentation, the quality of the analysis, the appropriate use of reference material, and individual contribution.
If you feel someone in your group deserves extra credit (or less credit than the
others), let me know this as well: What percentage of the project's awesomeness
would you give to everyone? Discuss this, come to agreement, and turn in your
estimation. Be fair! Also be honest. Most of all, do your best so everyone wants
me to recognize your kick-butt efforts.
Turn this in via Blackboard
if possible, or a link to where the project lives online if not. The majority of how I score this project comes from experiencing your live presentation.
(Due to the pandemic, I'm not requiring this
group Presentation project for 2020.
If you would like to create a formal presentation or multimedia project and
share it with the rest of class, you'll earn bonus points).
Base value: 40 points. Help make this project
outstanding - and be a great individual contributor - to Level Up! (up to +8)
Final Project
For your Final
Project, you can create a new
project for maximum points, revise your Mid-Term project if you created one, or turn in a
portfolio of your entire semester's projects revised to reflect your
understanding of SF and how it interacts with the various forms of popular media.
Your
Final Project answers the course's core questions:
How do various media forms engage with the themes,
tropes, and narratives of science fiction? Why has SF long been the dominant genre, mode, and
thematic approach in the popular media? Will this trend continue to grow, or will it fade over
time?
Also consider:
How does the work you're analyzing or creating fit into the larger discussion
that is science fiction? What does it add? What are its influences? What is it
responding to? How does it extend what you think of as "science fiction"?
Discuss as usual in a scholarly piece, or define in your creative piece's artist
statement.
Some resources you might find useful:
This can be a traditional written paper or a project you create
using another media format.
You must include an alphabetized Bibliography or Works Cited with a traditional paper, or an
Annotated
Bibliography
with a creative or multimedia project (and an Artist's Statement). An annotated bibliography is a set of references that
provide a summary of your readings and research, to give me an idea of where you
got your inspiration, scientific or technical resources, and so forth.
List your sources alphabetically and include a brief summary or annotation
for each work that you quote in the paper or that you use as a reference
(or inspiration). Format your bibliography as
appropriate for your field of study (MLA
for much of the Humanities,
Chicago for most other fields, and so forth;
here's
a good list of style guides). Turn in this project via
Blackboard.
Base value: 40
Level Up
Lots of ways to exceed the base points on this project!
- Throughout the semester, pay attention to what your classmates, teacher,
and others say in class, take notes on great ideas
or things you disagree with, and note the date and names of the speakers so
you can cite them. Accurately cite
in-class discussions that support your arguments, and list such materials in
your bibliography. Also, cite and list diverse references, both in terms of quantity and media
form. Up to +3.
- Meet all the requirements, above, but also deliver your project in a
functional multimedia form that works with text (website, comic, or so
forth): up to +5.
- Write a kick-butt paper! Teach me
something new, make and support an original or thoughtful argument, or so
forth: up to +10.
- Work with a classmate to
peer-review one another's projects.
- See
this page for how to
successfully do a peer critique, which also describes what I'm looking for in
what you turn in for your Level Up assignment.
- Not only does performing a peer-review earn you bonus points,
but it will also improve both of your papers!
- Bonus points you can earn here vary
widely based on how much effort you put into your review or critique(s): up to +6
each.
- Possibly more ways to get bonuses!
Traditional Paper
I grade formal papers on the quality and diversity of research (both
fictional and non-fictional), the writing (including grammar and spelling), and
the strength of the topic and argument. What I most want is for you to
demonstrate what you've learned from the course readings, your outside readings,
and in-class discussions, and how you express this synthesis: Demonstrate your
understanding of science fiction and media narratives.
If you are
writing a traditional essay, it must be at least 2000 words, up to a max of 5000 words (again, longer might be okay, just consider how much
your teacher must read), excluding
your bibliography. References, bibliographies, artist's statements, and endnote pages do not count toward your word-count.
For additional guidance into how to write great research papers, check out
this page on the highly respected Purdue OWL writing site: "Writing
a
Research Paper," where you'll find tons of great tips and guidance. Format your bibliography as appropriate for your field of study
(MLA
for much of the Humanities,
Chicago for most other fields, and so forth;
here's
a good list of style guides).
This is not something that you can successfully complete at the last minute.
The research paper represents a semester-long investigation of topics that
interest you. Turn in this project via
Blackboard.
Multimedia or Creative Project
If you think another form - and your skill and experience with it - can
answer the question better, you may create a project in another media format:
extended comic (not just a strip), short film or documentary, music, podcast,
collection of artworks or photographs, website or app, creative nonfiction,
extended and believable fan-response that offers alternative takes, or so forth. Multimedia projects must demonstrate
a similar or greater level of effort as the traditional paper, and clearly answer the question, as well.
We'll discuss this more in class.
A creative work of this kind
must seriously address ideas and themes. If fictional, you must create believable, interesting
characters living in a convincing, fully realized world, dealing with
science-fictional concerns in addition to
revealing substantial understanding of science fiction and the media form you're
using.
If this is a written document, use the same word-count requirements as the
traditional paper... unless it's multimedia, in which case art or other elements
can help display equivalent effort at a shorter word-count.
For the purposes of this course, also include an
annotated bibliography
(not often included in such works). This is particularly important if you
pursue the multimedia option, because I want to see the diversity of references that
inspired you (and how), and those that helped you develop your work (both
fictional and non-fictional). Show me your research through a good annotated
bibliography, demonstrate your understanding of science fiction, and make your
creative work stand on its own. An annotated bibliography is a set of references that
provide a summary of your readings and research, to give me an idea of where you
got your inspiration, scientific or technical resources, and so forth.
List your sources alphabetically and include a brief summary or annotation
for each work that you quote in the paper or that you use as a reference
(or inspiration). Format your annotated bibliography as
appropriate for your field of study (MLA
for much of the Humanities,
Chicago for most other fields, and so forth;
here's
a good list of style guides).
To be crystal-clear in defining how your
creative work displays your understanding of SF and multimedia narratives, please also include an
"artist's statement," as it
very much helps me in evaluating creative work. Write this either as an appendix
to your document (but doesn't count toward a word-count) or as a stand-alone
.doc file that you also turn in to
Blackboard.
Be aware that this option is more challenging
- especially if you haven't taken creative-writing, film-making, or visual-arts
courses - because this course isn't about teaching how to write a great story or make a
great movie, only examining them.
Click
here for some useful creative-writing resources.
Turn in this project via
Blackboard. Many who
create such projects post them to an appropriate media host; give me a link to
where your project lives, and upload to
Blackboard your annotated bibliography and artist's
statement, as well.
Final Project Deadline
Your final project is due at the latest by 5:00pm on Friday, May 13, with bonus Level Up
points available for turning it in early (see each week's section to see how
many bonus points you can earn). Turn in your completed project via
Blackboard.
If you've
created multimedia content, posted a short film to the internet, or otherwise cannot
upload the project directly to BB, provide a link (website URL) to where I can
find the project online as your submission in the appropriate Blackboard Final
Project assignment slot.
Grading
Because we're examining a
wide diversity of ways to communicate, I've adopted a media-related method for
tracking success (in the academic world, it's called "incentive-centered
grading" or "gamification").
Everything you do in this course beyond the basics of the required elements earns you points toward "leveling up" your
scores and, therefore, your grade, while giving you some freedom to choose between options.
I want you to be in control of your scores as much as possible. Your final grade is up to you!
By simply completing all the readings and viewings, turning in excellent responses on time
before each class, creating an
well-written mid-term project, doing a good job in the group presentation,
creating a good final project, attending every class plus engaging in active discussion while there, and partnering to lead
at least two class sessions, you are pretty much guaranteed at least a
C+ or better for your final grade.
Want to reach higher to earn a better grade? See the Level Up! section below, throughout the syllabus,
and on each weekly page.
Level |
Points Needed |
Grade |
Legend |
|
A |
Hero | |
A- |
Master | |
B+
|
Guru | | B
|
Expert | |
B- |
Adept (base)
|
|
C+ |
Apprentice |
|
C |
Intern |
|
C- |
Trainee |
|
D+ |
Novice |
|
D |
Beginner |
|
D- |
Conscript |
|
F
|
So if you're comfortable rising no higher than the default "Adept" (a letter grade of C+),
you need between x and y points. You'll easily earn those points by doing
solid work on the required course components:
- Reading and viewing the assigned content, and turning in weekly response
papers to those: 14 x 2 = 28 points possible (up to +42
or more Level Up possible).
- Attendance and class participation: 13 x 3 = 39 base
points possible (up to +13 or more Level Up possible).
- Leading discussions: 2 x 5 = 10 base points possible (more Level Up possible).
- Mid-Term paper: 40 base points possible (lots more Level Up possible, even more with peer review).
- Presentation: 40 base points possible (lots more Level Up possible)...
- Final project: 40 base points,
(lots more Level Up possible, and more with peer review).
(+40
Level Up or more possible
for doing the Final Project plus the Mid-Term
Project, if you seek to become a Legend.)
- See each section for details on Level Ups and Penalties.
- TOTAL possible base-level points: 197.
- Add about 10% for each full grade.
- To earn an A, earn at least 237 points.
You have lots of opportunities to Level Up
throughout the semester, making it easy to greatly grow your
level. See each section for details on Level Ups and Penalties. See the next section, Chloe's Example Scenario, and
every other section for more opportunities.
If you ever want to calculate your grade so far, go to the
Blackboard "Weighted
Total" to roughly determine your percentage of points earned and
possible so far. If you haven't turned in some things, it won't be complete, but
I hope this helps reduces grade anxiety.
Level Up
Paralleling how we study media narratives, we'll use the metaphor of Leveling Up
in earning better grades - as in gaming systems. In place of the traditional
deductive-only grade system (where you lose points by not turning in
perfect work), our system uses additive grading (which is gaining a lot of pedagogical traction in education theory).
You'll have a multitude of opportunities to earn bonus points by (for example) doing additional research, reporting on that added work, and sharing
your discoveries in class. You can also Level Up for exceeding my expectations on
every project and in every class period; that is, you get more points than the
base value when you
exceed "average effort" (traditionally graded as C work), thereby raising your
grade incrementally toward a B or A. It's up to you!
So if you choose to simply meet all the basic requirements, show up most
classes and participate in most of them, and do basically acceptable work on
your projects, you'll end up with a grade around a C+. If you excel on the
required projects, seek out additional materials and write insightful reports on
them, attend relevant events, write a smokin' Final Project, and so forth, you
have earned a higher grade!
I want you to be in control over your grade, using a familiar and empowering
metaphor.
So, want to earn a higher grade in this course? Each section in this syllabus offers some options for Leveling Up!
Possible bonuses abound: See each assignment section for details on more ways
to earn bonus points. Here are some semester-long examples of how you
can gain extra points:
- Attend outside events, write reports on them, and turn them in to the
various Level Up Assignment slots you'll find in Blackboard.
I'll mention in class and post announcements when I identify some cool opportunities, and
I'll also add assignments there for you to turn in your bonus papers. But
you don't have to just stick to my recommendations!
- Kick butt on your projects! See the descriptions in this syllabus
for ideas. Basically, you have the opportunity to exceed my expectations -
and Level Up - with every project!
Basically, be an epic student! You might just
get bonus points in the end.
Penalty
On the other hand, just like in many game-scoring systems, in this course you have a few ways to lose points, too:
- Miss a full week of class of class participation (both live and in the
Discussion Board): -3 (per missed class after the first).
Note: You're allowed one unexcused absence for the semester. Excused absences include medical and family emergencies,
so if you encounter this, let me know. It's your responsibility to schedule employment, school, and other responsibilities around your classes, or accept the consequences.
If you must miss class, please contact me ahead of time to make arrangements for catching up on missed material.
- If you attend but do not participate in class discussions (live or
asynchronous), this also lowers
your overall grade on a variable scale depending on engagement or lack
thereof. If you have special needs (for example,
you have social phobias or lack internet access), contact me in advance so we can work out alternatives.
- Of course, not turning in projects or doing poor work can lose you
points, leading to reduced grades. So do your best - and exceed my
expectations to Level Up your learning experience instead!
More Good Stuff
Ready for more science fiction in your life? Check out these suggestions.
Events and Activities
Want to hang out (at least virtually) with other SF folks? Sign up for the
new Stars Our Destination discussion group and mailing list here,
and check out the Lawrence Science Fiction Club on Facebook for informal club
chat and get-togethers.
The Ad Astra Institute for Science Fiction & the
Speculative Imagination will soon be
sharing multimedia
offerings online. For now, check out
our existing YouTube channel.
FanCon (a local mini-comicon) takes place each
spring and fall - for 2022,
the spring date is April 2 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
Benjamin Cartwright, former Volunteer Coordinator of
AboutSF, ceated a wonderful podcast program. Check out
the Podomatic site!
To learn about more stuff, more quickly, you can also find events and lots of SF-related chat
with the Lawrence Science Fiction Club! Info,
discussions, and (hopefully soon!) meeting times are regularly posted at
their
Facebook page. Know of something of interest to like-minded folks? Join and
drop a note there!
Here's a cool event each Spring, right after Spring finals:
Spectrum Fantastic Art Live Show Friday and Saturday,
in mid-May Also the Spectrum Awards Show
Grand Ballroom of Bartle Hall Convention Center Kansas City, MO
What are you doing on Memorial Day Weekend? Why not attend the
ConQuesT science fiction
convention in Kansas City.
Want to take more speculative-fiction courses? Check out
my growing list of offerings.
The
KC fan community won the World Science Fiction Convention bid, so the world of
SF came to
the KC in 2016! Details
at the MidAmeriCon II website. Yours truly was Academic Track program
director, so let me know if you'd like to know how to get involved in such
things or if you'd
like to volunteer to serve as staff (for a significant reduction in membership
cost) in future events. The Kansas City group appears set to win the 2023 World
Fantasy Convention event bid, so stay tuned for that!
Go here
to see lots more science fiction resources.
More Recommended Works
Want to read more SF? You've come to the right place!
Because this course is all about understanding SF as told through various
media, we'll also adopt one of its modes for determining your grade: Everything you do earns you points toward "leveling up"
your grade, giving you some freedom to choose between options to raise your
score. In this way, your final grade is up to you! See the Level Up section for details. You'll find
required and suggested materials to study in each week's syllabus section, but
here are some more general resources:
My lending library holds many books, magazines, and more, so if you are local to
Lawrence or are in town for our other summer programs,
check with McKitterick to see if we can lend you a
copy. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis. I also have a
course-specific lending library for the SF Literature course - which is primarily supplied by previous students donating copies after completing their
course - so if you want to pass on the love to the next generation rather than
keep your books, let your teacher know!
Want more? Check out the winners of the
John W.
Campbell Memorial Award for best SF novel of the year. To see even more
great books, check out the
recent finalists for the Campbell Memorial Award - most years, the majority
of those works could have won the award if the jury had just a few different
members.
For short fiction, check out the
Theodore
Sturgeon Memorial Award for best short SF winners, and the recent
Sturgeon Award finalists. As with the Campbell, you're likely to find
something you'll love among the finalists - and many of them live online, and
you'll find links to the stories from that page.
Want lots of free SF ebooks and e-zines? Check out
Project Gutenberg's growing SF collection.
The Guardian asked some of SF's greatest living authors to share what
they feel are the best books or authors in the genre, and what they came up with
is
a brilliant list.
Want even more recommendations? My and James Gunn's "Basic Science Fiction Library" is a go-to internet resource for building
reading lists. It's organized by author.
I hold many books, so if you are local to
Lawrence or are in town for our other summer programs, check with me to see if we can lend you a
copy. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis. This
lending library is primarily supplied by previous students donating copies after completing their
courses, so if you want to pass on the love to the next generation rather than
keep your books, let your teacher know!
Want to take more speculative-fiction courses? You're in luck! Check out
my growing list of offerings.
Go here
to see lots more resources.
If you like novels, or just want to prepare for next year's SF-novels version
of this course, here you go:
- Isaac Asimov,
The Caves of Steel
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Margaret Atwood,
The Handmaid's Tale
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Iain M. Banks, Consider Phlebas
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Greg Bear,
Darwin's Radio
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Gregory Benford,
Timescape
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Alfred Bester,
The Demolished Man
[Amazon|Powell's]
- John Brunner,
Stand on Zanzibar
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Octavia Butler, Dawn
[Amazon|Powell's], book
one of the
Xenogenesis trilogy
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Arthur C. Clarke,
Childhood's End
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Hal Clement,
Mission of Gravity
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Philip K. Dick,
The Man in the High Castle
[Amazon|Powell's]
- William Gibson,
Neuromancer
[Amazon|Powell's]
- James Gunn,
The Listeners
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Robert A. Heinlein,
The Puppet Masters
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Frank Herbert,
Dune
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Ursula Le Guin,
The Left Hand of Darkness
[Amazon|Powell's]
- China Miéville, Perdido Street Station
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Frederik Pohl, Gateway
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Charles Stross, Accelerando
(free download here)
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Theodore Sturgeon,
More than Human
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Jack Vance,
The Languages of Pao
[Amazon|Powell's]
- Kurt Vonnegut,
The Sirens of Titan
[Amazon|Powell's]
- A. E. van Vogt,
The World of Null-A
[Amazon|Powell's]
- H. G. Wells,
The Time Machine
[Amazon|Powell's]
- ___,
The War of the Worlds
[Amazon|Powell's]
And here are the books that we removed from the SF-novels
version of this course - still important and recommended
works for understanding the history of the SF novel, but we only have so much
time to discuss:
McKitterick was on Minnesota Public Radio's
"The Daily Circuit" show, a "summer reading"
show dedicated to spec-fic and
remembering Ray Bradbury. Great to see
Public Radio continuing to cover SF after their "100 Best SF Novels"
list. Here's what he added to
the show's blog:
A great resource for finding wonderful SF is to check out the winners and finalists for the major awards. For example, here's a list of the
John W. Campbell Memorial Award winners.
And here's a list of recent finalists for the Award.
Here's the list of the Nebula Award novel winners.
And the Hugo Award winners, which has links to each year's finalists, as well.
A couple of books I didn't get a chance to mention include
Ray Bradbury's
R Is for Rocket, which contains a story that turned me into an author:
"The Rocket" (along with Heinlein's
Rocketship Galileo and
Madeleine L'Engle's
A Wrinkle in Time). Bradbury's
Dandelion Wine is another, along with books like
Frank Herbert's
Dune,
Douglas Adams'
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,
Clifford Simak's
City (a Minnesota native), SF anthologies like James Gunn's
Road to Science Fiction and the DAW
Annual Year's Best SF, and tons more.
Personally, my favorite Bradbury short story is pretty much everything Bradbury every wrote. His writing is moving and evocative like Simak and
Theodore Sturgeon's - probably why those three made such an impression on the young-me. But if I had to pick only one that most influenced me as a writer,
it would probably be "The Rocket,"
a beautiful story about a junk-man who has to decide between his personal dreams of space and love of his family. It was adapted into a radio show for
NBC's "Short Story" series
(you can listen to the MP3 audio recording here).
He was on again when they did a story on
"What
did science fiction writers predict for 2012?"
The other guest was a futurist - an interesting discussion!
Stay tuned for more to come!
* "'History of Science Fiction'
is a graphic chronology that maps the literary genre from its nascent roots in mythology
and fantastic stories to the somewhat calcified post-Star Wars space opera epics of today. The movement of years is from
left to right, tracing the figure of a tentacled beast, derived from H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds Martians. Science Fiction
is seen as the offspring of the collision of the Enlightenment (providing science) and Romanticism, which birthed gothic fiction,
source of not only SF, but crime novels, horror, westerns, and fantasy (all of which can be seen exiting through wormholes
to their own diagrams, elsewhere). Science fiction progressed through a number of distinct periods, which are charted, citing
hundreds of the most important works and authors. Film and television are covered as well."
- Ward Shelly
discussing this excellent "History of Science Fiction"
infographic -
now available for purchase!
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