Science Fiction: Literature and Films



Hong Kong Shue Yan University

Department of English Language and Literature

1st term, 2018-2019

Course Title : Science Fiction in Literature and Films

Course Code : ENG 479

Year of Study : 3rd or 4th

Number of Credits : 3

Duration in Weeks : 15

Contact Hours Per Week : Lecture (2 Hours)

: Tutorial (1 Hour)

Pre-requisite(s) : NIL

Prepared by : Jason Leung

Course Aims

This course is designed to introduce to students both the historical development and narrative structure of science fiction as a unique genre within the context of the postmodernist movement. Through a body of literary works such as cultural theories, short stories, and novellas, and Sci-fi films, students will be introduced to topics such as alternate history, artificial intelligence, cyberpunk, cloning and genetic engineering, cyborg and posthumanism, nanotechnology, etc.

Course Outcomes, Teaching Activities and Assessment

|Course Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) |

|Upon completion of this course students should be able to: |

|ILO1 |identify the main features of science fiction |

|ILO2 |recognize the special status of science fiction as a literary genre |

|ILO3 |Identify the important themes of science fiction |

|ILO4 |demonstrate a critical understanding of sci-fi texts and films |

|ILO5 |construct a theoretical framework in reading science fiction and sci-fi films |

|ILO6 |relate features of science fiction to characteristics of postmodernity |

|ILO7 |demonstrate their vision of the future in a creative way |

|ILO8 |write critically on science fiction |

|Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs) |

|TLA1 |Introduction to science fiction |

|TLA2 |Textual analysis of the texts |

|TLA3 |Screening of Sci-fi movies |

|TLA4 |Explanation of the technology or science relevant to the texts |

|TLA5 |Analysis of literary or filmic texts with reference to the technology or science concerned |

|TLA6 |Analysis of literary or filmic texts with reference to critical concepts |

|TLA7 |Oral Presentations by students |

|Assessment Tasks (ATs) |

|AT1 |Oral Presentation |15% |

| |Students are to form into groups of 3 or 4 and deliver an oral presentation on a| |

| |selected topic. The presentation should be a discussion of some critical | |

| |concepts with illustrations from cultural texts. | |

|AT2 |Creative Writing Project |20% |

| |The creative writing project will be an original sci-fi story written by | |

| |individual or group work (up to 3 students in a group). It will be due after | |

| |Week 10. | |

|AT3 |Term Paper |25% |

| |Students will be required to write a critical analysis or a theoretical | |

| |discussion of a selected topic in 2500 words. It will be due one week after the | |

| |last class. | |

|AT4 |Final Examination |40% |

| |TOTAL |100% |

|Alignment of Course Intended Learning Outcomes, Teaching and Learning Activities and Assessment Tasks |

|Course Intended Learning Outcomes |Teaching and Learning Activities |Assessment Tasks |

|ILO1 |TLA1,2,3 |AT1,2 |

|ILO2 |TLA1,6 |AT1,2 |

|ILO3 |TLA1,2,3,4,5 |AT1,2 |

|ILO4 |TLA6,7 |AT1,3,4 |

|ILO5 |TLA1,5,6,7 |AT1,3,4 |

|ILO6 |TLA5,6,7 |AT3,4 |

|ILO7 |TLA2,3,6 |AT2 |

|ILO8 |TLA6 |AT3,4 |

Course Outline

Week 1 Introduction: Origins of Science Ficiton

George Slusser. “The Origins of Science Fiction.” A Companion to Science Fiction. PP. 27-42.

Week 2 Human in the Universe

Arthur C. Clark, “The Sentinel”

Reference: 2001 Space Odyssey (movie)

Week 3 Encounter with Aliens

Steven Spielberg, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (movie), 132 mins

Reference: Solaris (movie)

Week 4 Science Fiction and Feminism

Nancy Kress, “Out of All Them Bright Stars”

Tiptree Jr., James. “The Women Men Don’t See”

Week 5 Time-Travel and Alternate History

Nancy Kress, “The Price of Oranges”

Issac Asimov, “Fair Exchange”

Nalo Hopkinson, “Message in a Bottle”

Reference: Time Machine (movie); Back to the Future series (movie); Terminator series (movie)

Week 6 Evolution and Environment

Richard Fleischer, Soylent Green (movie), 97 mins

Mike Resnick, “Old McDonald Had a Farm”

Week 7 Bioengineering

David D. Levine, “I Hold My Father’s Paws”

Mike Resnick, “The Homecoming”

Week 8 Artificial Intelligence

Brian Aldiss, “Super-Toys Last All Summer Long”

Greg Egan, “Learning to be Me”

Reference: Steven Spielberg, Artificial Intelligence: A.I., (146 mins)

Week 9 Terminal Identity & Memory Implant I

Alex Proyas, Dark City (movie), 100 mins

Week 10 Terminal Identity & Memory Implant II

Greg Egan, “The Safe-Deposit Box”

Aliette de Bodard, “Immersion”

Week 11 Singularity and Beyond

Ken Liu, “The Waves”

Nancy Fulda, “The Cyborg and the Cemetery”

Week 12 Science and Religion I

Ridley Scott, Prometheus (movie), 124 mins

Week 13 Science and Religion II

Greg Egan, “Oceanic”

Arthur C. Clarke, “The Star”

Week 14 Reading Week

Week 15 Recapitulation

Academic Honesty

You are expected to do your own work. Dishonesty in fulfilling any assignment undermines the learning process and the integrity of your college degree. Engaging in dishonest or unethical behavior is forbidden and will result in disciplinary action, specifically a failing grade on the assignment with no opportunity for resubmission. A second infraction will result in an F for the course and a report to College officials. Examples of prohibited behavior are:

• Cheating – an act of deception by which a student misleadingly demonstrates that s/he has mastered information on an academic exercise. Examples include:

• Copying or allowing another to copy a test, quiz, paper, or project

• Submitting a paper or major portions of a paper that has been previously submitted for another class without permission of the current instructor

• Turning in written assignments that are not your own work (including homework)

• Plagiarism – the act of representing the work of another as one’s own without giving credit.

• Failing to give credit for ideas and material taken from others

• Representing another’s artistic or scholarly work as one’s own

• Fabrication – the intentional use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings with the intent to deceive

To comply with the University’s policy, the term paper and the project have to be submitted to VeriGuide.

Resources

Primary Texts

Egan, Greg (2009). Dark Integers and Other Stories. Far Territories.

Flanagan, Mary & Booth, Austin, eds. (2002). Reload: Rethinking Women + Cyberculture. Cambridge & London: The MIT Press.

Supplementary Readings

Critical Theories

Bacon-Smith, Camille (2000). Science Fiction Culture. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Bukatman, Scott (1993). Terminal Identity: Virtual Subject in Post-Modern Science Fiction. Durham and London: Duke University Press.

Freedman, Carl (2000). Critical Theory and Science Fiction. Hanover & London: Wesleyan University Press.

Hollinger, Veronica & Gordon, Joan, eds. (2002). Edging into the Future: Science Fiction and Contemporary Cultural Transformation. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Johnston, Keith M. (2013) Science Fiction Film: A Critical Introduction. London: Bloomsbury.

Kuhn, Annette, ed. (1990). Alien Zone: Cultural Theory and Contemporary Science Fiction Cinema. London & New York: Verso.

Kuhn, Annette, ed. (1999). Alien Zone II: The Spaces of Science Fiction Cinema. London & New York: Verso.

Lefanu, Sarah (1988). Feminism and Science Fiction. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.

McCaffery, Larry, ed. (1991). Storming the Reality Studio: A Casebook of Cyberpunk and Postmodern Fiction. Durham & London: Duke University Press.

Roberts, Adam (2000). Science Fiction. London: Routledge.

----- (2006). The History of Science Fiction. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Sawyer, Andy & Seed, David, eds. (2000) Speaking Science Fiction: Dialogues and Interpretations. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.

Seed, David (2005) A Companion to Science Fiction. Oxford: Blackwell.

Slusser, George & Shippey, Tom, eds. (1992) Fiction 2000: Cyberpunk and the Future of Narrative. Athens & London: The University of Georgia Press.

Wong, Kin Yuen, Westfahl, Gary and Chan, Amy Kit-sze, eds. (2005) World Weavers: Globalization, Science Fiction and the Cybernetic Revolution. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Science Fiction

Card, Orson Scott. (2004) Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century. New York: Ace Trade.

Clarke, Arthur C. (2000) 2001: A Space Odyssey. New York: ROC.

Clarke, Neil, ed. (2018) The Final Frontier: Stories of Exploring Space, Colonizing the Universe, and First Contact. New York: Night Shade Books.

Dozois, Gardner. (2015) The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-second Annual Collection. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.

Dozois, Gardner. (2016) The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-third Annual Collection. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.

Dozois, Gardner. (2017) The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-fourth Annual Collection. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.

Egan, Greg. (1995) Axiomatic. New York: HarperPrism.

Le Guin, Ursula. (1994) The Left Hand of Darkness. New York: Eos.

Le Guin, Ursula. (2000) The Dispossessed. New York: Ace Trade

Lem, Stanislaw. (2002) Solaris. Translated by Joanna Kilmartin & Steve Cox. Orlando: First Harvest.

Robinson, Kim Stanley. (2011) The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson. Toronto: Night Shade Books.

Shvartsman, Alex, ed. (2016) Humanity 2.0. Rockville: Phoenix Pick.

Assessment Rubric for Oral Presentation

|Criteria |Exemplary |Satisfactory |Developing |Unsatisfactory |

|Communication Skills |Consistently speaks with |Generally speaks with |Has difficulty speaking |Does not speak with |

| |appropriate volume, tone, |appropriate volume, tone, |with appropriate volume, |appropriate volume, tone, |

| |and articulation. |and articulation. |tone, and articulation. |and articulation. |

| |Consistently employs |Frequently employs |Employs infrequent eye |Makes no eye contact. |

| |appropriate eye contact and|appropriate eye contact and|contact and/or poor | |

| |posture. |posture. |posture. | |

| |Consistently employs |Adequately employs |Employs limited nonverbal |Does not employ nonverbal |

| |appropriate nonverbal |appropriate nonverbal |communication techniques. |communication techniques. |

| |communication techniques. |communication techniques. | | |

| |Consistently exhibits |Generally exhibits poise, |Exhibits limited poise, |Lacks poise, enthusiasm, |

| |poise, enthusiasm, and |enthusiasm, and confidence.|enthusiasm, and confidence.|and confidence. |

| |confidence. | | | |

| |Adheres to prescribed time |Adheres to prescribed time |Violates prescribed time |Violates prescribed time |

| |guidelines. |guidelines. |guidelines. |guidelines. |

| |Employs creative use of |Employs appropriate visual |Employs ineffective visual |Uses no visual aids. |

| |visual aids that enrich or |aids that relate to |aids. | |

| |reinforce presentation. |presentation. | | |

|Content and Coherence |Effectively defines a main |Adequately defines a main |Insufficiently defines a |Does not define a main idea|

| |idea and clearly adheres to|idea and adheres to its |main idea and adheres to |or adhere to its purpose. |

| |its purpose throughout |purpose throughout |its purpose throughout | |

| |presentation. |presentation. |presentation. | |

| |Employs a logical and |Employs a logical sequence |Employs an ineffective |Lacks an organizational |

| |engaging sequence which the|which the audience can |sequence confusing to the |sequence. |

| |audience can follow. |follow. |audience. | |

| |Demonstrates exceptional |Demonstrates sufficient use|Demonstrates insufficient |Demonstrates no supporting |

| |use of supporting details/ |of supporting details/ |supporting details/ |details/evidence. |

| |evidence. |evidence. |evidence. | |

|Responses to questions |Confidently, politely, and |Politely and accurately |Ineffectively responds to |Unacceptably responds/does |

| |accurately responds to |responds to instructor’s |instructor’s or |not respond to |

| |instructor’s or classmates’|or classmates’ questions |classmates’ questions and |instructor’s or classmates’|

| |questions and comments. |and comments. |comments. |questions and comments. |

Assessment Rubric for Creative Writing Project

|Criteria |Exemplary |Satisfactory |Developing |Unsatisfactory |

|Plot (40%) |The story contains many |The story contains a number |The story contains a few |The story contains no |

| |creative details and/or |of creative details and/or |creative details and/or |creative details and/or |

| |descriptions that |descriptions that |descriptions that |descriptions that |

| |characterizes it as a sci-fi|characterizes it as a sci-fi|characterizes it as a sci-fi|characterizes it as a sci-fi|

| |story. The plot is an |story. The plot is a good |story. The plot is a poor or|story. The plot is not |

| |excellent extrapolation of a|extrapolation of a |illogical extrapolation of a|scientific. |

| |scientific idea/concept. |scientific idea/concept. |scientific idea/concept. | |

|Setting (15%) |Many vivid descriptions to |Some vivid descriptions to |Not much description to show|No description to show when |

| |show when and where the |show when and where the |when and where the story |and where the story took |

| |story took place. The world |story took place. The world |took place. The world of the|place. There is not much |

| |of the story can be |of the story is somewhat |story is similar to the |detail of the world of the |

| |distinguished from the |different from the present |present world. |story. |

| |present world. |world. | | |

|Characterization |The characters are vivid and|The characters are described|The characters are stock |The characters are without |

|(30%) |life-like. There are |in detail. There are some |characters with not much |description. There is no |

| |details about their |information about their |information about their |information about their |

| |personality, emotions and |personality, emotions and |personality, emotions and |personality, emotions and |

| |experiences given either by |experiences given either by |experiences given either by |experiences. |

| |direct or indirect |direct or indirect |direct or indirect | |

| |characterization techniques.|characterization techniques.|characterization techniques.| |

|Conventions |Exhibits skillful use of |Exhibits good use of |Exhibits ineffective use of |Exhibits severely flawed use|

|(15%) |language, including |language, including some |language, including weak |of language, including weak |

| |effective word choice, |mastery of word choice, |word choice, limited |word choice, no clarity, and|

| |clarity, and consistent |clarity, and consistent |clarity, and inconsistent |no voice. |

| |voice. |voice. |voice. | |

| |Demonstrates exceptional |Demonstrates sufficient |Demonstrates limited fluency|Lacks fluency through |

| |fluency through varied |fluency through sentence |through sentence structure, |sentence structure, |

| |sentence structure, |structure, paragraphing, |paragraphing, flow of ideas,|paragraphing, flow of ideas,|

| |paragraphing, flow of ideas,|flow of ideas, and |and transitions. |and transitions. |

| |and transitions. |transitions. | | |

Assessment Rubric for Term Paper

| |Exemplary |Satisfactory |Developing/ Emerging |Unsatisfactory |

|Focus |Presents an insightful and|Presents a thesis |Presents a thesis |Presents a thesis |

| |focused thesis statement. |statement with adequate |statement with minimal |statement with no insight |

| | |insight and focus. |insight and focus. |or focus. |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Draws strong and clear |Draws adequate connections|Draws insufficient |Shows no understanding |

| |connections between the |between thesis and related|connections between thesis|of connections between |

| |thesis and significant |ideas. |and related ideas. |thesis and related ideas. |

| |related ideas. | | | |

|Organization |Effectively provides a |Adequately provides a |Provides a poorly |Does not provide a |

| |logical |progression |organized progression of |progression |

| |progression of related |of ideas and supporting |ideas and supporting |of ideas and supporting |

| |ideas and supporting |information |information in the body of|information in the body of|

| |information in the body of|in the body of the paper. |the paper. |the paper. |

| |the paper. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Effectively |Adequately |Ineffectively uses |Does not use transitions |

| |uses transitions to |uses transitions to |transitions to connect |to connect supporting |

| |connect supporting |connect supporting |supporting information. |information. |

| |information clearly. |information. | | |

| |Arrives at a |Arrives at an |Arrives at an |Does not arrive at a |

| |well-documented, logical |adequately-documented |insufficiently documented |documented conclusion. |

| |conclusion, involving |conclusion. |conclusion. | |

| |critical thinking. | | | |

|Support/ Elaboration |Effectively synthesizes |Sufficiently synthesizes |Ineffectively synthesizes |No evidence of |

| |complex ideas from |ideas from research |ideas from research |synthesizing ideas from |

| |research sources. |sources. |sources. |research sources. |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Demonstrates exceptional |Demonstrates sufficient |Demonstrates insufficient |Lacks supporting |

| |selection of supporting |selection of supporting |selection of supporting |information clearly |

| |information clearly |information clearly |information clearly |relevant to thesis and its|

| |relevant to the thesis and|relevant to the thesis and|relevant to the thesis and|related ideas. |

| |its related ideas. |its related ideas. |its related ideas. | |

| |Provides a meaningful |Provides an adequate |Provides a limited |Does not present multiple |

| |presentation of multiple |presentation of multiple |presentation of multiple |perspectives. |

| |perspectives. |perspectives. |perspectives. | |

| |Effectively balances use |Adequately balances use of|Insufficiently balances |Does not balance use of |

| |of quotations and student |quotations and student |use of quotations and |quotations and student |

| |paraphrasing. |paraphrasing. |student paraphrasing. |paraphrasing. |

|Style |Exhibits skillful use of |Exhibits good use of |Exhibits ineffective use |Exhibits severely flawed |

| |language, including |language, including some |of language, including |use of language, including|

| |effective word choice, |mastery of word choice, |weak word choice, limited |weak word choice, no |

| |clarity, and consistent |clarity, and consistent |clarity, and inconsistent |clarity, and no voice. |

| |voice. |voice. |voice. | |

| | | | | |

| |Demonstrates exceptional |Demonstrates sufficient |Demonstrates limited |Lacks fluency through |

| |fluency through varied |fluency through sentence |fluency through sentence |sentence structure, |

| |sentence structure, |structure, paragraphing, |structure, paragraphing, |paragraphing, flow of |

| |paragraphing, flow of |flow of ideas, and |flow of ideas, and |ideas, and transitions. |

| |ideas, and transitions. |transitions. |transitions. | |

|Conventions |Demonstrates a |Demonstrates adequate use |Demonstrates limited use |Demonstrates |

| |sophisticated use of the |of the prescribed format |of the prescribed format |no use of the prescribed |

| |prescribed format (MLA or |(MLA or APA), including |(MLA or APA), including |format (MLA or APA), |

| |APA), including title |title page, pagination, |title page, pagination, |including title page, |

| |page, pagination, and |and citations. |and citations. |pagination, and citations.|

| |citations. | | | |

| |Consistently uses standard|Generally |Minimally |Does not use standard |

| |writing conventions |uses standard writing |uses standard writing |writing conventions in |

| |in grammar, spelling, |conventions |conventions |grammar, spelling, |

| |capitalization, |in grammar, spelling, |in grammar, spelling, |capitalization, |

| |punctuation, and usage. |capitalization, |capitalization, |punctuation, and usage. |

| | |punctuation, and usage. |punctuation, and usage. | |

|Information Literacy |Conscientiously and |Generally demonstrates |Inconsistently |Does not demonstrate |

| |consistently demonstrates |integrity in citing |demonstrates integrity in |integrity in citing |

| |integrity in citing |practices. |citing practices. |practices. |

| |practices. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Effectively employs an |Adequately employs a |Employs a limited variety |Does not employ a variety |

| |extensive variety of |sufficient variety of |of primary and secondary |of primary and secondary |

| |primary and secondary |primary and secondary |sources including an |sources and/or does not |

| |sources, including a |sources including a |insufficient amount of |include current |

| |significant amount of |sufficient amount of |current information. |information. |

| |current information. |current information. | | |

| |Demonstrates strong |Demonstrates sufficient |Demonstrates limited |Demonstrates no evaluation|

| |evaluation skills in |evaluation skills in |evaluation skills in |skills to determine |

| |determining resource |determining resource |determining resource |resource credibility and |

| |credibility and |credibility and |credibility and |reliability. |

| |reliability. |reliability. |reliability. | |

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