Department of English

This course offers a historical survey of women's writing in science fiction, beginning with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and ending with the more recent efforts of such authors as Occavia Butler, Nicola Griffith, Ursula LeGuin, K. LeGuin, Maureen McHugh, Joanna Russ, and James Tiptree, Jr. a.k.a. Alice Sheldon (to name but a few). W'ell investigate a number of questions: What is the place of feminism in science fiction? How does science fiction allow us to reimagine systems of gender/sexuality or race/ethnicity? In what ways does technology transform human identity? What is the ethical and political role of science fiction in the 1990s? Our readings will be taken from both novels and short story collections (with an emphasis on the latter): requirements will include spirited classroom discussions, weekly reading responses, and a small number of longer essays.