Apocalyptic Speculations: An Exploration of the Climate Crisis through Speculative Fiction

 
Department: Literature

Course Description

What is Speculative Fiction and what does is aim to do? What is climate change and how is it depicted in Speculative Fiction? This course will focus on representations of the climate crisis and apocalypse within the genre of speculative fiction. Students will be asked to consider why speculative fiction is a useful tool for addressing ecological decay and imagining alternative futures. They will be asked to read one novel and a collection of short stories written by a diverse selection of authors. Through this course, students will acquire knowledge about the potential decay of planet earth while gaining experience with literary analysis.

Course Goals / Learning Objective

• Define speculative fiction
• Understand the connections between literature and the climate crisis
• Consider how speculative fiction may be used as a tool to understand/combat environmental racism

Course Topics

• Speculative Fiction
• Climate Change
• Apocalypse
• Environmental Racism

Prerequisites 

N/A

*Courses vary by experience and exposure to content. Instructors have the ability to change content and pace to serve the needs of students. Courses have been modified for online teaching.