Note that while the major components of the syllabus will not change, I may add or subtract material, depending upon the needs of the course. The most up-to-date version of the calendar can always be found here.
Tuesday, August 30
- Introductions
- What is Science Fiction?
Thursday, September 1
- Johanna Russ, “When it changed” (Blackboard)
- Octavia Butler, “The Evening and the Morning and the Night” (e-journal | off-campus)
- Darko Suvin, “On the Poetics of the Science Fiction Genre” from College English (e-journal | off-campus)
Tuesday, September 6
- Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Preface, Letters, and Chapters 1-7 (i.e. Volume I)
- Last day to drop without tuition penalty
Thursday, September 8
- Frankenstein, Volume II
Tuesday, September 13
- Frankenstein, Volume III
Thursday, September 15
- Explore the Romantic Circles Electronic Edition of Frankenstein
- Read through variants of 1818 and 1831 editions of Frankenstein (Vol. 1, Chapter 3 and Vol. 1, Chapter 4)
- Changes in the 1823 edition of Frankenstein
- Recreating Elizabeth
Tuesday, September 20
- W.E.B. Dubois, “The Comet” (Blackboard)
- John Campbell, Jr., “Who Goes There” (Blackboard)
Thursday, September 22
- The Thing (dir. John Carpenter, 1982)
- Peter Watts, “The Things” <http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/watts_01_10/>
Tuesday, September 27
- Bruce Sterling, Preface to Mirrorshades (Blackboard)
- William Gibson, Neuromancer, chapters 1-6
Thursday, September 29
- Neuromancer, chapters 7-12
- Final drop date
Tuesday, October 4
- Neuromancer, chapters 13-18
- Neuromancer Analysis Due
Thursday, October 6
- Neuromancer, chapters 19-24
Tuesday, October 11
- No Class (Monday/Tuesday Switch Day)
Thursday, October 13
- Blade Runner (dir. Ridley Scott, 1982)
- Midterm Due (by midnight on Saturday, October 15)
Tuesday, October 18
- Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, We3
Thursday, October 20
- We3
- Lisa Cartwright, “‘Experiments of Destruction’: Cinematic Inscriptions of Physiology” from Screening the Body (Blackboard)
Tuesday, October 25
- Octavia Butler, Lilith’s Brood, pp. 1-151
Thursday, October 27
- Lilith’s Brood, pp. 151-248
Tuesday, November 1
- Lilith’s Brood, pp. 250-384
Thursday, November 3
- Lilith’s Brood, pp. 384-517
Tuesday, November 8
- Peter Watts, Blindsight, part 1
Thursday, November 10
- Blindsight, part 2
Tuesday, November 15
- Blindsight, part 3
Thursday, November 17
- Wrapping up Blindsight
Tuesday, November 22
- Blogging on Blindsight due
Thursday, November 24
- NO CLASS (Thanksgiving)
Tuesday, November 29
- Nancy Farmer, The House of the Scorpion, chapters 1-14 (“Youth” and “Middle Age” sections)
Thursday, December 1
- The House of the Scorpion, chapters 15-25 (“Old Age” and “Age” sections)
Tuesday, December 6
- The House of the Scorpion, chapters 26-38 (“La Vida Nueva” section)
Thursday, December 8
- Conclusion