Religion: Religion and Science Fiction

Intermediate courses or seminars on topics beyond the scope of existing departmental offerings. See Schedule of Courses for specific titles.

Prereq: Three hours in Religion Special Topics courses cannot carry CC designations. PACE students by permission and override.

As a literary form and as a genre of film and television, science fiction has often been a vehicle for social and political commentary. How has religion been incorporated into that project? How does it change an imaginary world to include or exclude "religion"? These questions help us understand what religion is, as well as what assumptions authors, showrunners and filmmakers make about "religion" and about what audiences think about it. And then, some fictional worlds include religions so compelling that people adopt and develop them IRL! We'll explore worlds, literal alien cultures, and responses to these provocative inventions as a way of expressing the range of human experiences and interpretations of social structures, power, and narratives and ask how the identity or culture of the author may affect worldbuilding and narrative. We'll include a case study unit on Judaism in science fiction, as well as a variety of other religions, fictional and "real", and look at how fandoms enact practices that could be described as "religious". The focus will be on science fiction of the US but students will be able to explore science fiction from other places in their own work.

The class will include discussions and lectures to provide background and context. Students with do readings and watch films/television episodes to prepare for discussions. There will be opportunities to explore examples that are not assigned in class and/or to create your own short stories/screenplays/art.

Discussions, participation in 3 or 4 in-class group activities over the course of the semester, and written homework will be required, along with a final project that may be carried out individually or with a partner or group.