Academic

Science Fiction and Technology – A Partnership?

~ Cheryl ~ 7 Comments

My science writer friend, Jon Turney, has a very cool project underway. NESTA, an investment think tank, has commissioned him to examine the relationship between science fiction and technology. Basically they want to know whether science fiction has an influence on technological innovation, and if so how this works. My guess is that this project has its origins in Neil Gaiman’s comments about Chinese science fiction conventions at the British Library last year, and Damien Walter’s subsequent article here. I think Damien may have done a Guardian piece on the subject.

Anyway, Jon has asked me to help out. Some of you will have already heard from me, and I’m grateful to Farah and Edward for letting me browse their library while I was in London the other week. If this is of interest, please take a look at Jon’s blog and see what he is looking for. We do have some fairly specific requirements, and we do need evidence, not opinions.

If you have experience of working in an environment where science fiction has had an influence technological development then we’d love to hear from you. (And I know some of you work for people like Google, Linden Labs and NASA.)

I’m also looking for reading recommendations. Things like Francis Spufford’s The Backroom Boys, which examine the history of technology, come to mind. And of course we want specific examples of science fiction ideas that have influenced technology. We are making a particular case study of robots, and there are obvious examples such as satellites and space elevators. I’d like to find some other examples. And I’m looking for academic studies of robot stories.

If you are an SF writer you’ll probably be getting email from me in the coming months. I promise that answering it won’t be too onerous, unless you want to do more.

Please note that while this is a UK-based project we are not limiting ourselves to looking at the UK. Indeed, the question as to whether there are cultural differences that affect the way that SF and technology work together is one we may address.

Science Fiction in India

~ Cheryl

Yes, there is some, don’t be silly. However, this post is not specifically about fiction, it is about a book of essays. Science Fiction in India is a collection of academic papers that were presented at a conference in Varanasi in 2008. Academic works are often horribly expensive, but this one is available on the Kindle for just $6.99 (potentially plus taxes). So if you are interested in knowing what academics in India are writing about SF, this is a very good way to start. The book’s editor, Arvind Mishra, has more information on his blog.

The Hordes Arrive

~ Cheryl ~ 6 Comments

This morning I did the meeting with the literary agency and discovered that the main staircase at this hotel is drunk. If you want to know what that’s like, imagine taking a corner in a car when the road has adverse camber. Now imagine walking up a staircase that does a similar thing. It is very disconcerting, especially when you are half awake.

The papers this morning covered a range of topics from the writing of Nalo Hopkinson and Octavia Butler; to Donald Duck comics; to myth creation in Middle Earth. At one point we ended up having a conversation about Tolkien-based religions. My new friend Sophie, who studies comparative religion and did her PhD in “Messiah figures in science fiction”, says there is a guy in Denmark doing his doctorate on the Jedi movement and a couple of Tolkien-based religions. I want to meet this chap.

Lunch was in a very nice Indian restaurant. A “hot” vindaloo in Finland is pleasantly flavorsome to an English palette, but it was only 8 Euro including a salad starter, rice, dahl, naan and a tea or coffee. Good value.

By the time we got back the convention was in full swing. There were people in anime costumes everywhere. Toni Jerrman reports that a local Japanese restaurant had to close because they ran out of food, being deluged with a crowd of people obsessed with everything Japanese. Cat ears are few and far between this year, as are “free hugs” signs, but I have seen some very impressive wolf heads.

The Turku committee is a bit young and green, and has managed some of the con-running equivalent of, “hey, let’s re-invent the wheel, I bet none of those old fogies thought of making one square before!” There are, ahem, some very strange scheduling choices, and the program book has the panels listed in alphabetical order. However, everything appears to be running with the customary efficiency and I’m looking forward to it getting into high gear tomorrow. I’m doing three things: a panel on selling translated fiction; a panel on this year’s Hugo nominees (which I expect we’ll scrap as it is scheduled against Richard’s GoH speech and one of the few Swedish language items); and MCing the masquerade.

In Turku

~ Cheryl ~ 1 Comment

Last night we had a little event at Jukka’s place, during which much sushi was consumed. Then this morning we packed up and lit out for Turku. These days there is a fine, modern freeway between the cites, complete with several very impressive tunnels, so it was a very easy drive. Huge thanks to Jari Käkelä for making a large Volvo available and driving us over. Apparently the car is the usual transport for Jari and his band, so it had plenty of room.

This afternoon we had the first day of the academic conference, including my good friends Irma Hirsjärvi, Merja Polvinen and Liisa Rantalaiho. Jari talked about his PhD on Asimov and American expansionism, while Mika Loponen talked about the use of stereotyped “evil” races such as orcs in fantasy novels as stand-ins for real-world groups that the author wants to other. They had a couple of last minute cancellations, so Merja and I filled in the gaps. She talked about teaching SF (including her forthcoming sojourn in Shanghai), while I read my Trans characters in SF&F paper.

This evening we ate and then headed to a local bar called The Old Bank. (UK readers please note it was a very nice pub, not a trendy wine bar.) Then it was back to the (very nice) hotel to check email and blog. Sleep next, as I have a breakfast meeting with a literary agency about publishing translated fiction.

Richard and Nalo have been out amongst the islands, and if all went to plan have been to the local Harald restaurant. Those of you who have been guests at Finncon before will know what that means.

Academic Conference in Liverpool

~ Cheryl

Today I got email from the University of Liverpool advertising a one-day academic conference called Current Research in Science Fiction (CRSF for short). While the event is aimed primarily at postgraduates, they are also hoping to attract independent scholars and industry professionals. The keynote speeches will be by Adam Roberts and Andy Sawyer. The call for papers is available here (PDF).

That’s the good news. The bad news is that it will be taking place on Saturday, June 18th, which means it clashes with the Eurocon in Stockholm. This is a real shame, because I won’t be able to go, and a bunch of my Finnish academic friends are also committed to Stockholm. Rats!

London: One-Day SF Comics Conference

~ Cheryl

Via Bryan Talbot, who is a guest speaker, I have discovered that there is a one-day academic conference on “Surrealism, science fiction and comics” at Somerset House on Saturday January 22nd. It is organized by the Courtauld Institute of Art Research Forum. Admission is £15 and advance booking appears to be required. Details here. Anyone going?

Attention Academics

~ Cheryl

There will be a two-day symposium on “Fantasy in France Today” at the University of Paris on June 10/11. I won’t be able to go as I get back into Heathrow from Australia on the 11th, but if anyone is interested please get in touch and I’ll give you more information. The program will, of course, be entirely in French. There’s a great guest list of writers, editors and academics, including Alain Lescart from the University of Connecticut (whom I pick out because people in the US may know him).