Fall 2021  |  CSCL 3335 Section 001: Aliens: Science Fiction to Social Theory (21331)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
Student Option
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Class Attributes:
UMNTC Liberal Education Requirement
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
09/07/2021 - 12/15/2021
Mon, Wed 01:00PM - 02:15PM
UMTC, East Bank
Appleby Hall 128
Enrollment Status:
Open (34 of 35 seats filled)
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
In English, the word "alien" designates both immigrants from other countries and beings from other worlds. Aliens of all sorts are everywhere; they tend to provoke fascination, fantasy, and for many, fear and anxiety. But the deeper philosophical significance of aliens says as much about us as it does about them. In this course, we will explore these questions through a range of novels, films, and artworks from the 1890s to the present day, with an emphasis on science fiction and American popular culture.
Class Description:
Are we alone in the universe? Do aliens actually exist? Are they here right now? While these questions are fun and engaging, this class will build on our fascination with the extraterrestrial to address issues related to this planet. How have conspiracies of other-worldly life played a role in communities on this world? How do fears of the alien other (whether extraterrestrial or human) factor into our social, political, and cultural identities and formations?
Who Should Take This Class?:
If you have an interest in science fiction and alien life and enjoy thinking and talking about philosophical questions about who and what we are, this is your class.
Class Format:
30% lecture; 50% discussion and projects; 20% top secret
Workload:
40-60 pages of reading per week. Periodic writing assignments and group projects.
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/21331/1219
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
14 November 2018

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