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Archaeologists and anthropologists discover other civilizations; science fiction writers invent them. In this collection of her major essays, Marleen Barr argues that feminist science fiction writers contribute to postmodern literary canons with radical a
The surprising and controversial thesis of Feminist Fabulation is unflinching: the postmodern canon has systematically excluded a wide range of important women's writing by dismissing it as genre fiction. Marleen Barr issues an urgent call for a corrective, for the recognition of a new meta- or supergenre of contemporary writing - feminist fabulation - which includes both acclaimed mainstream works and works which today's critics consistently denigrate or ignore. In its investigation of the relationship between women writers and postmodern fiction in terms of outer space and canonical space, Feminist Fabulation is a pioneer vehicle built to explore postmodernism in terms of female literary s...
Writers speculate on the future and the role of science fiction.
What do Amsterdam prostitutes, NASA astronauts, cross-dressing texts, and Star Trek characters have in common? In Genre Fission, Marleen Barr wittily and eccentrically revitalizes cultural and literary theory by examining the points where such vastly different categories meet, converge, and reemerge as something new.
Afro-Future Females: Black Writers Chart Science Fiction's Newest New-Wave Trajectory, edited by Marleen S. Barr, is the first combined science fiction critical anthology and short story collection to focus upon black women via written and visual texts. The volume creates a dialogue with existing theories of Afro-Futurism in order to generate fresh ideas about how to apply race to science fiction studies in terms of gender. The contributors, including Hortense Spillers, Samuel R. Delany, Octavia E. Butler, and Steven Barnes, formulate a woman-centered Afro-Futurism by repositioning previously excluded fiction to redefine science fiction as a broader fantastic endeavor. They articulate a plat...
Almost 20 years after the publication of Future Females: A Critical Anthology, feminist science fiction pioneer Marleen S. Barr, together with a talented crew of the field's established and emerging theorists, reveal new critical insights in Future Females, the Next Generation. This groundbreaking collection includes contributors from across the globe who find effective venues for imagining feminist thought experiments. A multinational perspective runs through this innovative volume, focusing on the latest dynamic trends in feminist science fiction. These include such issues as race, gender, cyberfeminism, the media, and new writers in the field. Future Females, the Next Generation, which establishes the generational continuity characterizing a vibrant area of feminist literary and cultural inquiry, boldly goes where no feminist science fiction critical anthology has gone before.
"A justification for paying serious attention to science fiction may by now be necessary only for other literary critics and scholars. Still, the question of why a book addressing itself to science fiction has to be faced briefly." This comment, the opening statement of Darko Suvins' recent book, is of concern to Professor Barr, editor of this volume, since Future Females is addressing itself to women in science fiction. Metaphorically speaking, if the mere mention of the genre causes a ruffling of academic feathers, then, relating to women is analogous to placing all those simply ruffled feathers in front of a wind machine. Everyone will not welcome a volume where science fiction is viewed in terms of women, but Professor Barr felt such a volume is needed. As Roger Schlobin's bibliography indicates, women are certainly contributing continuously to the science fiction field. This collection of essays illuminates some of this fiction.
This book offers a first step toward spanning the gap between the writing of male critics of speculative fiction, who do not devote enough attention to the contributions of new female voices to this genre, and feminist critics, who should study a genre that opens all possibilities to women. Although Barr clarifies speculative texts for those who may not be familiar with them, her study is neither a complete survey of speculative fiction nor an introduction to the recent concerns of feminist theory; it applies contemporary feminist theory to contemporary speculative fiction.
Reading Science Fiction brings together world class scholars and fiction writers to introduce the history, concepts and contexts necessary to understanding this fascinating genre. Comprehensive and engaging, Reading Science Fiction includes: * Explores a wide range of theoretical approaches to studying science fiction, such as gender studies, post-colonial studies and structuralism * Maps the definitions and history of science fiction, including its origin, influences and parallel development with modern society * Introduces major science fiction writers such as Arthur C. Clarke, Joanna Russ, Octavia Butler and Kim Stanley Roberts. This work provides valuable insights into the world of science-fiction, this thought-provoking textbook makes learning how to read science fiction an exciting and collaborative process for teachers and students alike.
A new collection on women in American television in the 90s uncovers a cultural obsession with tough yet sexy heroines in mythical pasts, the "girl power" present, and utopic futures. Xena, Buffy, Sabrina, and a host of other characters have become household words, as well as icons of pop culture 'feminism.' Their popularity makes for successful programming, however, how much does this trend truly represent a contemporary feminist breakthrough? And what does it mean for feminism in the next few decades? Fantasy Girls: Navigating the New Universe of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television seeks to explore as well as challenge the power and the promises of this recent media phenomenon. Such TV ...