SEMINAR: SCIENCE AND SCIENCE FICTION IN MEDIA AND LITERATURE
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
None.
There is no assessment of learning. The seminar will be considered passed if the student has attended at least 75% of the lessons.
The first objective of the seminar is to provide the students with a basic knowledge of the history of science-fiction, especially in the fields of literature, cinema and comics.
The second objective is to provide the students with both the stimuli and the instruments needed to develop a critical understanding of the relationships between science and science-fiction in the mass-media, where nowadays the two fields are getting more and more confused with one another. This is particularly important relatively to scientific communication, but also to communication as such, given the increasing importance that science and technology are destined to have into our society.
1) Institutional part
The first part of the seminar is an introduction to the history of science-fiction and the main topics and problems related to it.
2) Monographic part
The second part of the course is about a specific topic, every year different, chosen among the main themes of science-fiction.
1) Institutional part
In the first part of the course an introduction to the history of science-fiction will be provided, showing how it has been evolving in the time, explaining its reasons, and comparing it with the evolution of science, especially with respect to one of its most “classic” and important topics, i.e., extraterrestrial life, which will be discussed in depth thanks to the personal experience of the professor, who has been participating in this kind of research for more than twenty years, as a member of the SETI Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). Although the basic guidelines are always be the same, different accentuations may be done each year, depending on the topic chosen for the monographic part.
2) Monographic part
The second part of the course is about a specific topic, every year different, through which it will be possible to study more in depth the relationships between science-fiction and real science, as well as the problems related to a correct scientific communication, having the capability of exploiting, when useful, also suggestions coming from science-fiction, but nonetheless without making any confusion between the two. This year, exceptionally, there is no single theme, because, as in the conferences of the "Science & Science Fiction" cycle, we will talk about some of the main themes that will be discussed during the 75th IAC, the world astronautics congress that will be held in Milan from 14 to 18 October 2024.
Educational activity will be developed through frontal lessons, supported by a very detailed set of PowerPoint presentations and, especially with respect to the monographic part, also films, documentaries, and other multimedia tools, including some talks and interviews recorded by the professor himself during international scientific congresses which he has personally attended.
If possible, depending on the available funds, there will be also some moments of dialogue with some significative personalities working in the field of science and science-fiction.
Finally, it is also scheduled a series of lectures and guided visits called “Science & Science-fiction”, in which both scientists and experts of science-fiction will participate. This year, exceptionally, there is no single theme, because the "Science & Science Fiction" cycle will consist of 4 events that will address some of the main themes that will be discussed during the 75th IAC, the world astronautics congress that will be held in Milan from 14 to 18 October 2024.
Students may talk to the professor at the end of each lesson of the course. In the presence of adequate reasons, also by appointment, to be agreed with the professor by phone (335/8205220) or e-mail (paolo.musso@uninsubria.it).
More precise details about the course and the exam will be provided each year in a special file entitled “Descrizione del corso e modalità di esame”, which will be uploaded before the beginning of the lessons to the E-learning platform. Students are therefore kindly requested to download it as soon as possible and to read it very carefully in all its parts.