Writing the Future

Why do dystopian stories keep getting told? Why do we love to read and write these stories? What techniques do writers use to create new worlds? How do these texts allow us to reconsider our own realities?

This course investigates how writers use dystopia and science fiction to not only explore possibilities for the future but to comment on our own present society. Assigned texts will include classic dystopian works like "1984" in addition to more recent contributions to the genre from around the globe. We’ll explore how novels, short stories, and even some films and podcasts comment on topics like the ethics of artificial intelligence, the threat of technological advancement, and the relationship between history and science fiction. We’ll consider where this genre will go in the future and investigate why it appeals to such a vast audience.

Participants will develop their writing skills through essay assignments and short responses. Students will analyze complex texts and practice rhetorical analysis through writing and group activities. Class meetings will focus on collaboration between peers through discussion of both our course texts and student writing. By the end of the course, students will have grown as writers, thinkers, and public speakers.