As author Dr. Xia Jia explained at a conference, science fiction
is a literature always in the state of becoming, a literature that is born on the frontier—the frontier between the known and unknown, magic and science, dream and reality, self and other, present and future, East and West—and renews itself as the frontier shifts and migrates. The development of civilization is driven by the curiosity that compels us to cross this frontier, to subvert prejudices and stereotypes, and in the process, complete our self-knowledge and growth.
In this course, students will learn how science fiction has been defined traditionally and read both classic western authors and exciting new international sci fi writers. Through mini-lectures, detailed class discussion, independent writing, and a group project, the class will explore many “frontiers,” to borrow Jia’s term, and ultimately consider what it means to be human in a complex age of technological advancement and rapid advances toward post-humanism.
