Chinese Sci Fi in Context

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Since the turn of the twenty-first century, the rise of Chinese science fiction has become a momentous literary phenomenon domestically and globally. As a form of speculative literature, Chinese SF has always been associated with understanding China’s economic, sociopolitical, and scientific transformations. The primary concern of this course is to probe the literary arena where Chinese SF becomes a cultural signifier that unpacks drastic social changes, anticipates a new epoch, and, significantly, reveals a sense of anxiety toward an uncertain future. This course explores the development of Chinese SF in a global context since the early twentieth century. The focus of the class will be on literary analysis, with particular attention to the topics of empire and nation, modernity and modernization, and so on. At the same time, we will use Chinese SF as a core from which to introduce various dimensions of Chinese culture and history. This course will be conducted in English in the form of lectures and discussions.