Science fiction imagines new ideas: speculative technologies, social structures, laws, species, and so on – with the goal of casting new light on the world in which we live. In our readings for this unit, we’ve seen social justice activists and feminist filmmakers imagine science fiction worlds to make critical points about media, culture, identity, and power. What kind of world would you imagine?
For this creative exploration, you will create a science fiction premise – what the science fiction theorist Darko Suvin called in the 1970s a “novum,” meaning a brand new thing – that is connected to your semester’s theme.
In class on September 20 and 29, we will begin imagining social and political science fiction premises, asking how a change in culture, media, or technology would affect social structures of identity and power.
After class, think further about the discussions that you have had. Write a reflection for the blog that answers the following questions:
First:
• What is the science fiction premise that you have imagined? What has changed, been invented, disappeared – and why?
• Who will be affected and how? How will structures of identity, power, and privilege be reinforced, challenged, of shifted by this change?
Second:
• If you were to develop a work of creative media that explored this premise, what medium would it be in? Would it be a novel or short story, a film or TV show, a video game, something else?
• How would you choose to represent your premise: from whose perspective, at what point in time, with what kind of story or image or sound?
Write at least 600 words. Include images, video, and/or sound if you like.
This creative exploration is due on the blog on September 30.