An article from Kansas.com details the efforts of James Gunn, author and director of the University of Kansas' Center for the Study of Science Fiction, to reviatalize sf.

Some excerpts from the article:

"Science fiction is the literature of change. Occasionally it's predictive, but that's not its purpose."

Gunn's center plans this year to team up with science fiction organizations across the country to begin coordinating their efforts and harness literary fans' energy to elevate interest in the genre.

In particular, Gunn wants to get science fiction in the classroom. He said other than a scattered number of books on suggested reading lists, schools don't take advantage of science fiction's ability to help students with critical thinking and to explore difficult concepts.

"I think science fiction offers a great opportunity... to get them thinking about issues, concepts, ideas, possibilities, in a way that enhances their understanding of the world we live in."

Here, here! Why, I can't imagine how much more I would have enjoyed book assignments in school if they included a little more sf. The closest we came in my day was Flowers for Algernon. At least nowadays people are reading Ender's Game in school.

This is a noble effort worth supporting.

Comments (0) | PermaLink | Category: Meta
Posted by John DeNardo at Saturday June 11, 2005 at 1:40 AM
© 2008 SF Signal