Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, this course will meet primarily online at the normal class-meeting times. Please be patient with teachers and fellow students as we adapt course-delivery to these extremely challenging circumstances.

This class will synchronous and online. During the Fall 2020 semester, Ian and I will lead students through online interactions in various formats. We will begin most class sessions with a brief lecture and time for students to pose follow-up questions. We will then shift to group activities in which students will have an opportunity to direct the discussion and grapple with issues in an assigned text. These activities will take place on Canvas, in Zoom breakout rooms, and with collaborative GoogleDocs, along with any other available and useful instruction applications. Ian and I plan to interact with students as much as possible in these small-group formats.

Course Overview

This class provides students with an introduction to science fiction as a literary genre within a larger context of literary expression. To improve their strategies for interpreting their works, students will learn some of the basic elements of literary analysis.

This class will teach students to . . .

. . . have productive conversations about important works of literature.

. . . expand their understanding of science fiction, particular of its thematic, cultural and historical diversity.

. . . relate literary works to their larger contexts in culture, ethics, and history.

Grade Breakdown:

Student grades will depend primarily on written work and the understanding of the material that students convey through that work. A command of standard written English and the ability to present an argument will also contribute to the determination of the course grade.

Required Texts

Asimov, Isaac. The Naked Sun. 1957. Bantam, 1991.

Blade Runner. Directed Riddley Scott, performances by Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young, Warner Brothers, 1982.

Chambers, Becky. To Be Taught If Fortunate, HarperCollins, 2019.

Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 1968. Random House, 1996.

Frankenstein. Directed by James Whale, performances by Colin Clive, Mae Clark, and John Boles, Universal Pictures, 1931.

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. 1931. HarperCollins, 2006.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 1818. Oxford, 2008.

Whitehead, Colson. Underground Railroad. Knopf Doubleday, 2018.

Learning Outcomes

This class will support the Liberal Education Programs Student Learning Outcomes for Humanities in the following manner:

• Students will apply humanistic methods of inquiry and interpretation to the products/processes of human thought and culture.

  Our cultural artifacts for this purpose will be science fiction novels and films. Students will learn to ask key questions and build on these toward writing and stating their own persuasive interpretations of these texts. Specific humanistic methods of inquiry will involve discussion of

  • basic literary concepts such as character, plot, theme, genre, and tone.

  • foundational ethical concerns, especially those governing the development and application of technology.

  • historical factors shaping literary expression and ethical understandings of a given time period.

• Students will analyze products/processes of human thought and culture.

  --The reading list for this class includes a rich variety of science fiction works from different time periods and cultural perspectives. Assignments will require students to read these texts carefully, come to well-reasoned conclusions about their meaning, and support these conclusions with specific evidence from the texts.

• Students will explain how the products/processes of human thought and culture relate to cultural/social/historical context(s).

  --The future-technology analysis paper will require students to adapt ideas from class discussions and activities into more complete arguments that relate these texts to the cultural and historical positions of their authors and readers. It will require students to assemble a literary interpretation and then apply it to a situation beyond the bounds of the text.

Course Expectations

In order to accomplish these outcomes, students must

• Read the required books carefully.

• Attend class—show up to synchronous online course meetings on time and prepared to discuss the readings assigned for that day. Participate fully in group projects. Students have a responsibility to plan their schedules to avoid conflicts with course requirements. Excessive absences will have a negative impact on students' grades that in this course. Excusable absences include "subpoenas, jury duty, military duty, religious observances, illness, bereavement for immediate family and NCAA varsity college athletics." Please contact instructors about anticipated absences in order to minimize their influence on your coursework. For more information on excused absences, see "https://www.d.umn.edu/evcaa/academic-policies/excused-absences".

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of these works in quizzes, three exams and the character analysis assignment. For UMD policy governing final exams, students may look here for related policies:

  "https://www.d.umn.edu/evcaa/academic-policies/final-examinations".

• Respect fellow students and refrain from behavior that might impair their learning opportunities. Any behavior that substantially and repeatedly interrupts the instructor's ability to teach or the students' ability to learn will result in appropriate penalties. The online environment certainly lends itself toward distractions, so students will need to work extra hard to stay focused on course material during our online meetings. For further clarification of UMD policies in this regard, consult UMD's Student Conduct Code at

  "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/policies/Student_Conduct_Code.pdf".

  Writers' Workshop The Writers' Workshop offers free one-to-one writing support to all members of UMD's campus community. Sessions are held synchronously online or in person with a graduate student or faculty consultant. Feel free to bring any writing project at any stage in the writing process. To make an appointment, visit d.umn.edu/writwork or stop by the Workshop's front desk located in the Securian Learning Commons on the second floor of the Kathryn A. Martin Library. Students in this class have permission to see a Writers' Workshop consultant for assistance on exams as well.

• UMD instructors and students have a responsibility to maintain a learning environment that is, as stated in the Teaching and Learning Policy, "respectful of the rights and freedoms of all members, and promotes a civil and open exchange of ideas." The full policy is available at

  "http://d.umn.edu/academic-affairs/academic-policies/classroom-policies/instructor-and-student-responsibilities".

• Meet deadlines. Late assignments will receive a deduction of 1/3 of a letter grade for each business day that they are late. Students who miss exams may not make them up without a valid excuse for the absence. Valid excuses include health emergencies and family crises. If students anticipate missing an exam or a paper deadline for a valid reason and consult with me in advance, I can consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

• Work ethically. Academic dishonesty harms the reputation of the University of Minnesota Duluth and can cast a shadow over the accomplishments of its students. Because the university is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit, it must insist on an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. Consequently, all members of the academic community must regard any act of academic dishonesty as a serious offense. In keeping with this ideal, this course will adhere to UMD's Student Academic Integrity Policy, which is available online at "https://www.d.umn.edu/evcaa/academic-policies/student-academic-integrity". This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders.

  Disability Resources

  Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might influence their capacity to perform in this class, should inform me at the start of the semester. I can make special adaptations of teaching methods, assignments, materials, or testing as required to provide for equitable participation in the course. The Disability Resources Center is also available to assist students with disabilities. It is located in 258 Kirby Student Center, by phone at (218) 726-6130, and on the web at "https://umd-general.umn.edu/disability-resources".