Speculative Fiction and Climate Justice: Imagining Futures, 7.5 credits

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to

• identify and analyze central themes and narrative techniques in fiction (literature, film, and tv-series) that are set in future worlds, and
• critically, independently and with the use of cultural theory reflect on the possibilities of narratives of futures to stimulate creative and critical responses to current global challenges of climate change and loss of biodiversity as well as social justice and democracy.

Content

In this course, we explore English language literature, film, and tv-series from different parts of the world, from the 1970s to the present, that imaginatively reinvent our futures in ways that brings into focus both problems and possibilities in our present. We take as our starting point the idea that fiction can be a resource for change, through making us abandon the idea of the future as just more of the same. We explore this idea critically and theoretically. We analyze works that challenge our ideas of what the future can hold and in doing so also asks us to re-examine our present. Our focus is contemporary issues such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, and increasing social and economic inequality. We explore what affordances speculative fiction that create future worlds has for enabling imaginative and critical engagement with the questions about what kind of future that could be possible and in what ways hope can be understood as a politcal resource.

Examinations and grades

Imagining Futures I, 4.5 credits (Code: A002)
Grades used are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Imagining Futures II, 3 credits (Code: A003)
Grades used are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

According to the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 6, Section 18, a grade is to be awarded on the completion of a course, unless otherwise prescribed by the university. The university may determine which grading system is to be used. The grade must be determined by a teacher specifically nominated by the university (the examiner).

In accordance with university regulations on grading systems for first and second-cycle courses and study programmes (Vice-Chancellor’s decision ORU 2018/00929), one of the following grades is to be used: fail (U), pass (G) or pass with distinction (VG). For courses included in an international master’s programme (60 or 120 credits) or offered to the university’s incoming exchange students, the A to F grading scale is to be used. The vice-chancellor, or a person appointed by them, may decide on exceptions from this provision for a specific course, if there are special grounds for doing so.

The grades used on this course are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Comments on grades

To pass the whole course, at least the grade E is required for each examination.
Grades A-E are converted to numbers 5-1. A weighted average mark is then generated based on the module credits of each part of the course. The full course grade is thus the result of a balanced average of the different parts of the course.

Grade A is given when the average mark is at least 4.5.
Grade B is given when the average mark is at least 3.5 but lower than 4.5.
Grade C is given when the average mark is at least 2.5 but lower than 3.5.
Grade D is given when the average mark is at least 1.5 but lower than 2.5.
Grade E is given when the average mark is lower than 1.5.

Modes of assessment

Imagining Futures I, 4.5 credits (Code: A002)
Written examination.

Imagining Futures II, 3 credits (Code: A003)
Written assignment.

Comments on modes of assessment
Examination deadline
An examination shall be carried out at the time decided by the university. If an examination, which involves that the student can do the assignment in another place than in the university's premises (for example take-home examination), can not be submitted on time, the examiner decides how the examination shall be handled.

Supplementary assignments for a passing grade
The examiner may decide that a student who has not received a passing grade on the examination may submit supplementary assignments instead of taking a re-examination. Supplementary assignments must be carried out according to the teacher’s instructions and submitted to the teacher within one week after the student is notified of the failing grade.

For students with a documented disability, the university may approve applications for adapted or other modes of assessment.

For further information, see the university's local examination regulations.

Specific entry requirements

A first-cycle qualification comprising at least 180 credits of which at least 90 credits are for specialised study within the field of humanities or social sciences including an independent project of at least 15 credits . The applicant must also have qualifications corresponding to the course English 6 or English B from the Swedish Upper Secondary School.

For further information, see the university's admission regulations.

Other provisions

Language of instruction
Teaching is conducted in English and the examinations are conducted in English.

Students who have been admitted to and registered on a course have the right to receive tuition and/or supervision for the duration of the time period specified for the particular course to which they were accepted (see, the university's admission regulations (in Swedish)). After that, the right to receive tuition and/or supervision expires.

Transitional provisions

Students who have commenced but not completed the course as prescribed in the version of the syllabus in force in the fall semester 2023, are entitled to take the course examinations within a period of 12 to 18 months from 2024-09-02.

Reading list and other learning resources

Required Reading

Jameson, Fredric (2005)
Archaeologies of the Future: The Desire Called Utopia and Other Science Fictions
New York: Verso, (selected parts)

Levitas, Ruth (2013)
Utopia as Method: The Imaginary Reconstiution of Society, (selected parts)

Martin, Mark, ed. (2011)
I’m with the Bears
Verso.

Additional Reading

The Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, (2008)

Additions and Comments

5-6 of the works listed below are read in accordance with instructions from the teacher.

Anders, Charlie Jane (2016)*
All the Birds in the Sky

Butler, Octavia (1993)*
Parable of the Sower

Chambers, Becky (2021)*
A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Chambers, Becky (2018)*
Record of a Spaceborn Few

Doctorow, Cory (2023)*
The Lost Cause

Erdrich, Louise. (2017)*
Future Home of the Living God

Lai, Larissa (2018)*
The Tiger Flu

Okorafor, Nnedi (2020)*
Binti: The Complete Trilogy

Piercy, Marge (1976)*
Woman on the Edge of Time

Robinson, Kim Stanley (2020)*
The Ministry for the Future

Slonczewski, Joan (1986)*
A Door into Ocean

Solomon, Rivers (2017)*
An Unkindness of Ghosts

Thompson, Tade (2016)*
Rosewater

Additional reading: articles of ca 150 pages and short stories of ca 50 pages.

Additional teaching materials in accordance with instructions from the teacher: 1-2 movies and parts of 1-2 tv-series.

*Any full text edition.