CSCL3335: Aliens: Science Fiction to Social Theory
3 CreditsRace, Power, and Justice in the United StatesSustainability
In English, the word “alien” designates both immigrants from other countries and beings from other worlds. Aliens of all sorts are everywhere; they tend to provoke fascination, fantasy, and for many, fear and anxiety. But the deeper philosophical significance of aliens says as much about us as it does about them. In this course, we will explore these questions through a range of novels, films, and artworks from the 1890s to the present day, with an emphasis on science fiction and American popular culture.