From Lord of the Rings, Terminator and Dune to a slew of new series from the Star Trek and Star Wars universes – fantasy and science fiction have not only delighted avid readers and moviegoers for decades, but have also fascinated researchers around the globe. After all, fantasy and science fiction invariably involve a critical exploration of existing world views. From August 15 to 19, 2023, these researchers will meet at TU Dresden and provide an insight into the latest developments in science fiction and fantasy research for fans of the genre.

PhD student Julia Gatermann and Moritz Ingwersen, TU Dresden’s Junior professor of North American Literature with a Focus on Future Studies respectively, are hosting the joint annual conference of the German Association for Research in the Fantastic (Gesellschaft für Fantastikforschung – GFF) and the North American Science Fiction Research Association (SFRA) at TU Dresden – a scientific gathering that is first of its kind and unique in Germany on this scale.

“The exciting thing about genres like science fiction, fantasy and horror is that they distort our everyday reality and play out speculative world designs that hold up a mirror to the patterns of thought and behaviors familiar to us,” explain Julia Gatermann and Moritz Ingwersen. “Whether it’s the relationship between humans and machines, changing environments, utopian societal models or fantastic abilities, science fiction and fantasy enable us to critically reflect on societal fears, desires and power structures, which are culturally inscribed in the conceptions of other worlds. In this context, science fiction and fantasy research makes an important contribution to understanding which values, discourses and cultural narratives shape our perceptions of futures and societal transformation, and also how these can be changed to make more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable worlds conceivable.”

Under the title “Disruptive Imaginations,” the conference will explore the expansive field of societal disruptions, that is, disturbances and ruptures that can lead to societal change and a shift in perceptions. The focus will be on disruptive imaginations, or the way in which cultural images and fictional worlds react to moments of crisis, accompany these, and evince new perspectives. How do climate change, pandemics, war, and social structures such as racism and sexism affect speculative fiction, and how does the fiction respond? How are societal insecurities mirrored in artificial intelligence, digitalization and the energy transition themselves shaped by the imagery of science fiction literature and film? How do the perspectives of marginalized science fiction and fantasy authors contribute to a break with the typical Hollywood tropes? How do they contribute to a critique of current world orders? In what way are the authors' own conceptions of society and the future exposed to disruption? And where might they even trigger upheavals “in the real world”?

Over 300 researchers from over 36 countries will meet at TU Dresden over five days to analyze these and similar questions in detail. The program will be enriched by high-caliber keynotes from international experts such as the Indigenous Futurism researcher, Lou Cornum, the leading scholar on Afro-German Afrofuturism, Priscilla Layne, and literary scholar David M. Higgins, whose book, Reverse Colonization: Science Fiction, Imperial Fantasy, and Alt-Victimhood (2021), highlights the connections between science fiction and the rhetoric of the Alt Right.

“We are delighted that there has been such keen interest from researchers and artists from all over the world and hope that this event will shine a spotlight on the important contribution of literary and cultural research to questions of how to address societal change and technological innovation at TU Dresden and beyond,” said the two organizers.

Public events

Accompanying public events at the Deutsches Hygiene Museum Dresden and the Technische Sammlungen Dresden also provide the public with an insight into science fiction and fantasy research: On August 16, the Technische Sammlungen Dresden will open their doors and invite visitors to enjoy performances and talks about science fiction with the international artists Irina Gheorghe, Emma Waltraud Howes and Justin F. Kennedy under the title “Contactics”.

On August 17 in the Deutsches Hygiene Museum, scientists, authors, and publishers will discuss “The Legacy of Science Fiction in the GDR” and its influence on the entire German-language scene. The event will conclude with a classic film produced the German Democratic Republic's film studio, “Eolomea.”

Under the title “Progressive Fantasy. New Impulses for the Genre”, young authors who are working to modernize this conservative genre in Germany, both in their work and on social media with the hashtag #ProgressivePhantastik, will also speak at the Hygiene Museum on August 18. They advocate for more diversity and openness, and will discuss their demands in a panel. To conclude the event, the authors will read from their works in the Museum's courtyard.

Contact details and more information:

Organizers:
Junior Prof. Moritz Ingwersen
Junior Professorship in North American Literature with a Focus on Future Studies
Institute of English and American Studies
Tel.: +49 351 463-34918

Julia Gatermann
Junior Professorship in North American Literature with a Focus on Future Studies
Institute of English and American Studies
Tel. +49 351 463-33025

Conference homepage: https://disruptiveimaginations.com/
GFF: https://fantastikforschung.de/en/
SFRA: https://sfra.org/