Science fiction as geopolitical fact was the topic of this week's reading by Robert A. Saunders (2015) in my Youth, Media and Popular Culture class at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. And while I had certainly noticed the imperialist and colonial themes in sci fi films, television and books, I hadn't really connected those to the current state of politics and world turmoil. Looking at it now though through the lens of the article I can certainly see the parallels between world events and the realm of science fiction.
As the article points out, sci fi has drawn from the past and present dramas of humankind to tell cautionary tales about our imperialist history and future. Certainly you can point to most of the current geopolitical problems in the world and link them back to imperialism. Whether it be the ongoing dispute in Kashmir, the quagmire that is the Middle East or the abysmal treatment of our own indigenous people in Canada. What I hadn't really considered much was how much those associations had made their way into popular culture and politics.
As the article points out, the two worlds really collided in a reality bending way when former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, himself an actor, adopted the language of popular culture to introduce his Strategic Defence Initiative as a "Star Wars" system and when he referred to the former Soviet Union as the "Evil Empire." Interestingly, if you Google Ronald Reagan and science fiction you will come up with references to the former president being the inspiration for the character Cypher in The Matrix (itself a very mind-bending film).
So how does this work in the classroom as a tool of pedagogical practice? Quite well I would imagine. Many of my students are tremendous fans of sci fi and fantasy, but perhaps not so much aware of geopolitical issues around the world. Combining a genre they love with real-world examples of the same principles of imperialism could be greatly engaging. And anything that keeps students interested in more abstract concepts by combining them with a pop culture passion has got to be more engaging than traditional talk and chalk with news clippings or videos.
As the article points out, sci fi has drawn from the past and present dramas of humankind to tell cautionary tales about our imperialist history and future. Certainly you can point to most of the current geopolitical problems in the world and link them back to imperialism. Whether it be the ongoing dispute in Kashmir, the quagmire that is the Middle East or the abysmal treatment of our own indigenous people in Canada. What I hadn't really considered much was how much those associations had made their way into popular culture and politics.
As the article points out, the two worlds really collided in a reality bending way when former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, himself an actor, adopted the language of popular culture to introduce his Strategic Defence Initiative as a "Star Wars" system and when he referred to the former Soviet Union as the "Evil Empire." Interestingly, if you Google Ronald Reagan and science fiction you will come up with references to the former president being the inspiration for the character Cypher in The Matrix (itself a very mind-bending film).
So how does this work in the classroom as a tool of pedagogical practice? Quite well I would imagine. Many of my students are tremendous fans of sci fi and fantasy, but perhaps not so much aware of geopolitical issues around the world. Combining a genre they love with real-world examples of the same principles of imperialism could be greatly engaging. And anything that keeps students interested in more abstract concepts by combining them with a pop culture passion has got to be more engaging than traditional talk and chalk with news clippings or videos.