COL 222SEM—Social Justice Through Speculative Fiction

This course will explore social justice possibilities through an examination of texts within genres of speculative fiction. Genres include but are not limited to: science fiction, fantasy, Afro and Indigenous Futurisms, critical fabulation, horror, counter histories, magical realism, cyberpunk, and apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction. The genres examined in this course develop different conceptions of social justice by expanding discussions of racial identity formation, race, gender, embodiment, desire, temporality, traditions and counter-traditions, framings of political life beyond the nation-state, environmental justice, world building, and differing epistemic, ethical-political, and aesthetic values. We also explore questions associated with determining how to build communities in the shadow of catastrophic devastation. Course content variable; course repeatable for credit,