Speculative Fiction, The University of Liverpool, 2008-2011
A third year undergraduate module that explores issues of genre through works of speculative fiction: gothic, fantasy and science fiction. This course challenged students to think about the relationship between works of popular culture and 'literary' works, to consider issues of genre and aesthetics, and to explore various themes relevant to these three modes of speculative fiction.
The issues explored over the course of the module included the question of what it means to read the Fantastic, Gothic and Science Fictional Others, Scientific Romance and Early American Science Fiction, Fairy-Tale and Fantasy, Identities, Fearing and Facing the Future, Modern Fantasists and Genre-Slipapge and Multi-Generic Modes. Works considered included: Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire, stories by H.P. Lovecraft and M.R. James, H.G. Wells' The Sleeper Awakes, Terry Pratchett's Witches Abroad, Ursula K. Le Guin's 'The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas' and stories from Jorge Luis Borges' Labyrinths.
Students were assessed in a number of ways, including through written assignments and exams. They were also required to deliver a ten minute presentation on one of the authors featured on the module and to write a short review on a work of speculative fiction not included on the module's syllabus. That review was then uploaded onto a discussion board and students asked to provide commentary and analysis of a selection of their peers' reviews. I found this a very useful way to engage students in thinking critically about their writing over the course of the module.
