Future Selves

This course could be called androids, aliens, and monsters, oh my! From a dystopic world where math reigns supreme to an alternative present-day where time-bending aliens make first contact, from a brilliant scientist’s monstrous creation to a young woman’s search for self against the backdrop of an intergalactic university, this course will draw upon both classic science fiction and more contemporary speculative fiction to introduce students to key elements of the genre. Students will explore the themes of science fiction as a way to understand social issues and problems of the human condition as represented in literature, television, and film. Students will read authors such as Mary Shelley, Ted Chiang, Isaac Asimov, Octavia Butler, N. K. Jemisin, and Nnedi Okorafor. Students will also watch the iconic films Metropolis and Bladerunner among others as well as watch popular television shows like Star Trek (original series and The Next Generation) and The X-Files. Questions we will consider include: What does it mean to be human? What if there are other life forms “out there”? What can we learn about ourselves from “the other”? Students will write analytical and reflective pieces as well as practice emulating the elements of science fiction in their own original writing as they think critically about the ever-changing world around them.