HIS 225 History and Science Fiction
This course examines historical themes explored by science fiction in various media. Artists working in science fiction have long used historical examples, analogies or events as inspiration for seemingly fantastical stories that often deal with contemporary questions in their societies. Science fiction routinely grapples with the legacies of the industrial revolution, social relations in rapidly growing cities, international geopolitical conflict and humanity's impact on the environment. We will discuss how historical knowledge and engagement with history influences and shapes science fiction, and how studying the past can help us predict the future.