This paper discusses the role that geography plays in the enhanced comprehension of some literature. One way to demonstrate the value and utility of geography is to show how geographers can contribute to other fields and the interrelationships with other disciplines. Many novelists have used geographical concepts to good advantage. Examples…

Science fiction offers many perspectives on human communication, including (1) a recurring theme about intrapersonal communication, (2) a nontraditional perspective on "family" communication, and (3) a philosophy of communication that can be drawn from some fantasy literature. Although numerous science fiction stories describe alien creatures who…

This paper suggests that now that science fiction has joined the educational establishment there is good reason to examine the uses of science fiction. It is further argued that if English teachers consider science fiction as a means rather than as an end, the teaching of science fiction will be improved and so will the more important tasks of…

This paper is an excerpt from a book on learning science using science fiction. The focus is on the use of science fiction films to engage students and encourage greater enthusiasm and interest in science. "Jurassic Park" is used as an example that can provide educators with countless lesson opportunities. This approach recommends the use of fun…

A curriculum that asks students to consider the implications of censorship would include not only "Fahrenheit 451" but also other works of adolescent literature, Holocaust literature, and science fiction. Works written about the Holocaust, which can be considered a type of absolute censorship, help students to consider censorship's…

Jill Paton Walsh's "The Green Book," the story of a group of humans and their life on a new planet, captures the imagination of learners and provides a compelling context for learning. Several groups of learners including fifth graders and adult teacher practitioners responded to the book in unique and interesting ways. As the setting,…

Well-written, with a flair for character development, and focusing on controversial issues, Michael Crichton's novel "The Andromeda Strain" can precipitate lively discussions in science, English, and social studies classes and can help students to integrate all three areas. English and science teachers can collaborate in a variety of…

Discusses women who write fiction and fan literature based on the "Star Trek" universe, outlining how Star Trek fans force the primary text to accommodate alternate interests. Also considers the issue of literary property in light of the moral economy of the fan community that shapes the range of permissible retellings of the program…

This paper illustrates several examples of visual science fiction use in teaching literary classics, and is based on the philosophy that students share a visual cultural literacy through movies and television, types of representation with which they are more familiar than with literary texts. It claims that visual science fiction can be utilized…

For the student of American politics as well as for the student of Brazilian literature and culture, a close reading of a 70-year old Brazilian science fiction novel could provide some insights into the ongoing presidential campaign in the United States. In 1925, one of Brazil's most popular writers, Jose Bento Monteiro Lobato, wrote a novel…

An English professor used science fiction to introduce his students to a range of questions about alternative sexualities. While a course proposal for a science fiction class being taught as a "diversity offering" with an emphasis on gender and sexual orientation was working its way through the bureaucracy at Pennsylvania State…

An undergraduate "Anthropology Through Science Fiction" honors course is described. Participation in the course was by invitation only and included both anthropology and non-anthropology majors. By using science fiction, non-anthropology students quickly became familiar with weekly topics and anthropology majors found the readings a new way to…

The major function of science fiction writers is to describe the nature of and to find resolutions for the role conflicts which confront their social group as it moves into the future. Most science fiction performs what is best described as a "magical" function. The conscious exploration of the meaning of various social roles is seldom attempted;…

According to renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, "science fiction is useful both for stimulating the imagination and for diffusing fear of the future." Indeed, several studies suggest that using science fiction movies as a teaching aid can improve both motivation and achievement. However, if a movie's plot crosses the line between good…

Because good future studies and good fiction have a great deal in common, futurists need to recognize and apply the skills of word artists from all genres, particularly novelists and short-story writers. One form of science fiction that futurists could use is the scenario, which is an exploration of an alternative future. A good scenario should be…