INQ-177 | Speculative Fiction Workshop

Topic Description:

Why are people drawn to read and write fantasy, sci-fi, and speculative fiction? How can these literary works suggest new possibilities for the future, or paths that could led to destruction or recreation? This type of fiction may go outside the bounds of reality to shape new worlds or tweak the world we know. Speculative fiction might involve an element of social commentary, or function as escapism and entertainment. Among other issues, this class will discuss the social role of writers in shaping new possible realities and questioning conventions. We will consider how to make fantastical elements integral to our stories, what we can say using speculative fiction that may not work as well within the bounds of realism, and how we can describe/enact/embody the fantastic so precisely that the reader doesn't doubt its reality in the fictive world.

Course Types Offered: On-Campus

Topic Approved: February 2022