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Description: Speculative genres—especially fairy tale, fantasy, and science fiction—dominate modern movies, computer games, graphic arts, and literary narratives for young people. From Spongebob and Thor to demi-god orphans, talking animals, and ghosts, the story world in which young people grow up today is populated by characters and conventions from speculative fiction. This discussion seminar will examine how narratives of speculative fiction stimulate imagination of young people as emerging citizens of a global world. We will study outstanding and multicultural speculative fiction as a metaphorical discourse about social and environmental justice, human rights, and social transformation for a more inclusive future. We’ll discuss specific genres as thought-experiments representing our society’s dreams and concerns. We’ll examine the unique cognitive and affective benefits that speculative fiction offers young readers. Students will work on theoretically informed projects of their own choice based on novels, graphic novels, picturebooks, and films. We’ll then consider the applications and critiques of using speculative fiction in the classroom and as a tool for community engagement. The course is open for graduate students only. For more information, contact Dr. Marek Oziewicz at mco@umn.eduTentative reading list:Emshwiller, Carol. The Mount. Brooklyn, NY: Small Beer Press, 2002 (or KINDLE edition). ISBN: 1-931520-03-8.Taylor, Drew Hayden. The Night Wanderer: A Native Gothic Tale. Toronto and New York: Annick Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-1554510993.Ihimaera, Witi. The Whale Rider. New York: Harcourt, 2003. (Or Kindle edition). ISBN: 978-0152050160.Kwaymullina, Ambelin. The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014.Okorafor, Nnedi. Binti. New York: Tor, 2015. (Or Kindle edition). ISBN: 978-0765385253.Russell, Craig. Black Bottle Man. Winnipeg, MB: Great Plains Teen Fiction, 2010. (Or Kindle edition). ISBN: 978-1894283991.2 speculative fiction novels or graphic novels of your choice.Picturebooks, graphic novels, and short stories from several collections.
