Conflict Through Space and Time: War in Science Fiction

HUMA 1905

Dangerous Visions, Brave New Worlds:

The Science Fiction Culture and Our Scientific Age

Conflict through Space and Time: War in Science Fiction

Ancient Writings on War

Homer, The Iliad (8th Century BCE)

“The Old Testament”, Christian Bible (7th – 1st Century BCE)

Sun Tzu, The Art of War (5th Century BCE)

Foundations of Military SF

Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers (1959)

Gordon A. Dickson, Dorsai! (aka The Genetic General, 1959)

Starship Troopers (Paul Verhoeven, 1997)

Characteristics of Military SF

Military combat

Soldier life & POV

Alienation

Alien enemy

Futuristic weapons

Views on war

Proxy War: Korean War (1950 – 1953)

This is Korea! (John Ford, 1951)

“Military-Industrial Complex” (Eisenhower, 1961)

Proxy War: Vietnam War (1955 – 1973)

Selective Service System (military conscription)

Full Metal Jacket (Stanley Kubrick, 1987)

Costs of war:

Shell shock

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Let There Be Light (John Huston, 1946)

The Forever War: Themes

Gender & Sexuality

Alienation (& Communication)

Utopia (& Dystopia)

Pacifism (& Militarism)

Video clips:

Starship Troopers (1997): “Starship Troopers – I’m Doing My Part”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMTz9nIUkGc

CNN (Tues 23 Feb 2016: “U.S. general: Conflict with North Korea would be akin to World War II”)

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/23/politics/north-korea-wmd/

This is Korea! (1951): “This is Korea (1951) John Ford)”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn_dLez1g9k

Full Metal Jacket (1987): “Full Metal Jacket Opening Scene”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j3_iPskjxk

Let There Be Light (1946): “Let There Be Light - 1946 (Restored Image and Sound)”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiD6bnqpJDE