Popular culture and world politics
Robert Saunders explains and gives many examples of why using sf to explain international relations is such a powerful medium for engaging students in critical analysis of imperial geopolitics.The purpose of using science fiction (sf) to explain International relations is not to oversimplify a very complex topic but to take it out of context, to understand the nuances and insights of International relations and reapply in the real world. It enables students to develop their geopolitical vocabulary and apply it to the real world. As Robert Saunders states, ‘sf becomes a doorway for analysis, synthesis and evaluation of real world geopolitics’.
Sf accelerates learning, facilitates critical analysis and enables thoughtful discussion and debate.
Getting to the ‘critical analysis stage’ of learning is sometimes quite difficult because too much time is spent in the knowledge and understanding phase of learning. It cuts to the chase of what is interesting and the meat of the discussion with the understanding that the nitty gritty is not taught. It is like driving a car. I don't know how it works other than turning it on and maintenance but I enjoy where it can take me. I appreciate that much thought and training went into getting me to the turning it on part but not knowing does not stop me from appreciating and using it to its fullest potential.
sf originally was not my favourite genre to read because of it’s out their dimensions. However once I taught it I began to realize the message it was able to impart whether moralistic, a comment on our society or environmental issues, was much clearer than slogging through the formative bits.
Though sf does usually come to a positive ending, usually of what we would like to see occur, that is not always how it turns out in real life. For example Avatar, represents western colonization and resource exploitation with western disregard for lifeways, knowledge and natural environment of indigenous people. In Avatar, the bad guys, (westerners) get theirs, which rarely occurs in real life.
Robert Saunders explains and gives many examples of why using sf to explain international relations is such a powerful medium for engaging students in critical analysis of imperial geopolitics.The purpose of using science fiction (sf) to explain International relations is not to oversimplify a very complex topic but to take it out of context, to understand the nuances and insights of International relations and reapply in the real world. It enables students to develop their geopolitical vocabulary and apply it to the real world. As Robert Saunders states, ‘sf becomes a doorway for analysis, synthesis and evaluation of real world geopolitics’.
Sf accelerates learning, facilitates critical analysis and enables thoughtful discussion and debate.
Getting to the ‘critical analysis stage’ of learning is sometimes quite difficult because too much time is spent in the knowledge and understanding phase of learning. It cuts to the chase of what is interesting and the meat of the discussion with the understanding that the nitty gritty is not taught. It is like driving a car. I don't know how it works other than turning it on and maintenance but I enjoy where it can take me. I appreciate that much thought and training went into getting me to the turning it on part but not knowing does not stop me from appreciating and using it to its fullest potential.
sf originally was not my favourite genre to read because of it’s out their dimensions. However once I taught it I began to realize the message it was able to impart whether moralistic, a comment on our society or environmental issues, was much clearer than slogging through the formative bits.
Though sf does usually come to a positive ending, usually of what we would like to see occur, that is not always how it turns out in real life. For example Avatar, represents western colonization and resource exploitation with western disregard for lifeways, knowledge and natural environment of indigenous people. In Avatar, the bad guys, (westerners) get theirs, which rarely occurs in real life.