Religion in Science Fiction

The Evolution of an Idea and the Extinction of a Genre

By: Steven Hrotic

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Hardcover | 31 July 2014 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
240 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.4 x 15.6 x 1.8

Hardcover

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Religion in Science Fiction investigates the history of the representations of religion in science fiction literature. Space travel, futuristic societies, and non-human cultures are traditional themes in science fiction. Speculating on the societal impacts of as-yet-undiscovered technologies is, after all, one of the distinguishing characteristics of science fiction literature. A more surprising theme may be a parallel exploration of religion: its institutional nature, social functions, and the tensions between religious and scientific worldviews.

Steven Hrotic investigates the representations of religion in 19th century proto-science fiction, and genre science fiction from the 1920s through the end of the century. Taken together, he argues that these stories tell an overarching story—a 'metanarrative'—of an evolving respect for religion, paralleling a decline in the belief that science will lead us to an ideal (and religion-free) future.

Science fiction's metanarrative represents more than simply a shift in popular perceptions of religion: it also serves as a model for cognitive anthropology, providing new insights into how groups and identities form in a globalized world, and into how crucial a role narratives may play. Ironically, this same perspective suggests that science fiction, as it was in the 20th century, may no longer exist.

Industry Reviews

"Hrotic's disciplinary standpoint as a cognitive anthropologist, as opposed to a literary critic or philosopher, marks his intervention as usefully distinct from our field's usual patterns of inquiry; the approach is quite different from what we usually do, and quite usefully so, and the book surely worth reading." --Gerry Canavan, Marquette University, Science Fiction Studies

"The narrow focus allows Hrotic to make a sustained argument about this community. ... Each chapter features summaries of the stories (without ruining their endings) and clear arguments about how these stories illustrate the evolving metanarrative of religion. This book would be a fascinating read for a non-academic audience of science fiction fans." -Kristin M. Peterson, Journal of Religion, Media & Digital Culture

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