Radykalne głosy, marginalne spojrzenia
Radical Voices, Marginal Perspectives

Debates on the Science Fiction Canon

Author(s): Jędrzej Burszta
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Customs / Folklore, Sociology of Culture, Theory of Literature
Published by: Ośrodek Badawczy Facta Ficta
Keywords: fan activities;fan communities;fan studies;canon;canonicity;fantasy;science fiction;
Summary/Abstract: Jędrzej Burszta’s chapter is dedicated to the analysis of the political and ideological dimensions of the process of canon-forming within the field of science fiction studies. The points of reference are the recent controversies surrounding the 2015 Hugo nominations and the online campaign of the groups “Sad Puppies” and “Rapid Puppies”. In the text, Burszta discusses the connection between defining science fiction and creating a canon of “proper” science fiction texts through “selective tradition”— a perspective that ultimately leads to creation of different, subjective canons of science fiction that are often, if not always, influenced by ideological choices. The author argues that the science fiction new wave movement in the 1970s has had a long-lasting impact on the way that it is defined by most science fiction scholars. Furthermore, the essay attempts to prove that contemporary heated debates on the political nature of science fiction (especially in the context of American science fiction) should be taken into consideration by science fiction scholars as important examples of the on-going “cultural war” and the politics of representation.

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