24810 AfroSF

Speculative fiction (SF) has long been a key part of African diasporic literary and cultural production. More recently, however, a wide range of African writers and directors have turned to the resources of science fiction and fantasy in order to come to terms with the continent’s changing place in contemporary global modernity. This course examines the place of contemporary African and diasporic science fiction and fantasy within a longer history of both African literature and global SF, asking what the turn to SF offers contemporary African cultural production, and what reading AfroSF can tell us about the shape of our global present. Course materials will include short stories and films by Nnedi Okorafor, Lauren Beukes, Sofia Samatar, Deji Olokutun, Efe Okogu, Waniu Kahiu, Nalo Hopkinson, Samuel Delany and others. (B)

Brady Smith
2016-2017 Spring