Splash Biography

The origins and historical developments of science fiction are a surprisingly complex series of questions that demonstrate key divides in perspectives and philosophies of what “science” is and can be. From the Epic of Gilgamesh, to Dune, to Star Wars, how has science fiction developed, and what counts as part of its tradition? When did it truly begin?

From video games, to movies, to books and TV shows, we are collectively obsessed with the ideas of "lost Civilizations." Fantasy, Sci-Fi, or non-fiction, we are enthralled with the ruins of those who came before. In our own history, from the Bronze Age Collapse to the "End of Rome" in the West, this idea of collapse and end fascinates us. In this class, we will examine the very idea of a Civilization collapsing in context of human history, philosophy, and art. We will consider what constitutes a Civilization, why Civilizations strain or collapse, and if Civilizations can truly end. We will end by thinking of our present in the context of these lessons of Civilization.

Long after its supposed disappearance, Feudalism retains a ghost-like touch on culture and society. Tales of knights and princesses, from Disney to Star Wars, captivate our minds, while we still refer respectfully to strangers as "sir" and "ma'am", "lord" and "lady." This raises the question: what was Feudalism? How did it actually work? When did Feudalism actually die? Is it truly gone?

The 20th century saw the world's first established Socialist society, the Soviet Union, emerge from the rubble of Tsarist Russia. 50 years later, the USSR was the second-most world power, and had been joined by dozens of similarly minded countries across Europe, Asia, African, and Latin America that all saw solidarity with the mission to build Socialism and Communism. Today, only five of these countries remain. What happened? How did Socialism work, and what were its effects? What can the ghost of 20th century Socialism teach us today?