OSU symposium looks at the future through the lens of speculative fiction

Nov. 12, 2019
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Symposium flyer

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Panel discussions about social justice, climate change, and activism through the realms of “A Handmaid's Tale,” Star Trek, Star Wars, the politics of utopia/dystopia and Dungeons & Dragons are among the topics that will be covered during a conference Nov. 22 at Oregon State University.

The Oregon State University Anarres Project for Alternative Futures is hosting the all-day symposium devoted to envisioning social transformation toward just futures through the lens of speculative arts, including science fiction, fantasy, horror and magical realism. The Just Futures Symposium is free and open to the public.

The lunch keynote speaker will be Grace Dillon, professor in the Indigenous Nations Studies Program at Portland State University. Dillon, an Anishinaabe scholar, coined the term Indigenous Futurisms, a movement involving literature, art and other forms of media that reflect indigenous perspectives about the future, past and present, rooted in science fiction.

The symposium takes place Friday, Nov. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Memorial Union Horizon Room on the Corvallis campus of Oregon State University.

The Anarres Project is a forum for conversations, ideas, and initiatives that promote a future free of domination, exploitation, oppression, war and empire. The conference is co-sponsored by Spring Creek Project, Ettihad Cultural Center and the Native American Longhouse Eena Haws.

 

College of Liberal Arts

About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts encompasses seven distinct schools, as well as several interdisciplinary initiatives, that focus on humanities, social sciences, and fine and performing arts. Curriculum developed by the college’s nationally and internationally-renowned faculty prepares students to approach the complex problems of the world ethically and thoughtfully, contributing to a student's academic foundation and helping to build real-world skills for a 21st century career and a purposeful life.

Story By

Theresa Hogue, 541-737-0786, [email protected]

Source

Joseph Orosco, 541-737-4335, [email protected]