Course Overview

This course examines literary and cinematic works belonging to the Afrofuturist tradition.

Learning Achievement

In addition to gaining greater understanding of political ideas in works of science fiction from the English-speaking world, students will improve their critical and analytical skills, as well as their oral and written communication skills.

Competence

Critical and Creative Thinking; Data information literacy; Broad perspective and international mindedness; Cultural awareness skills; International Communication skills

Course prerequisites

Grading Philosophy

1. Class participation: 40%
2. Reading report: 30%
3. Final presentation: 30%

Course schedule

Using speculative fiction from the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, this seminar explores anxieties about modern forms of control, surveillance, technology and power structures. This course seeks to develop a fuller understanding of how Anglophone works of film, television and literature have tackled power relations and social anxieties through speculative and science fiction.
Science and Speculative Fiction
Owen Gregory's Meccania: The Super State
Panopticism: George Orwell's 1984 then and today
The Cold War and George Orwell's Animal Farm
A Clockwork Orange
"The Stepford Wives" and "The Handmaid's Tale"
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
Black Mirror (UK TV) and Social Surveillance
Max Barry's Jennifer Government
Battle of the books student presentations

Course type

Lectures

Online Course Requirement

Instructor

Sano Takaya

Other information

Plagiarism is a serious offence that will not be tolerated in this class. If you are unsure about how to proceed with sources, come and talk to me.

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