How do the imagined worlds of speculative fiction reflect, and reflect upon, the real worlds of their authors and audiences? And on the other hand, how can works of speculative fiction have real-world impacts? Is speculative fiction different, in either of these respects, than other genres of narrative? This course explores a variety of works of speculative fiction from the perspective of an anthropological interest in ideas, imaginations, and narratives in relation to social life.
How do the imagined worlds of speculative fiction reflect, and reflect upon, the real worlds of their authors and audiences? And on the other hand, how can works of speculative fiction have real-world impacts? Is speculative fiction different, in either of these respects, than other genres of narrative? This course explores a variety of works of speculative fiction from the perspective of an anthropological interest in ideas, imaginations, and narratives in relation to social life.
