SEL3456 : Utopian Dreams, Dystopian Nightmares: The Forms of Science Fiction
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Jon Quayle
- Lecturer: Dr Stacy Gillis
- Owning School: English Lit, Language & Linguistics
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
- Capacity limit: 60 student places
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module introduces students to the genre and forms of science fiction through one of its dominant themes: utopianism. It will trace the development of utopian ideas in the 18th and 19th centuries, alongside the emergence of the novel as a dominant popular form during this time. Science fiction in the 20th and 21st centuries then expanded to encompass other forms—the short story, television, film, and video games. We explore how the concept of utopia — and dystopia — has intersected with science fiction, shaping the genre’s engagement with imagined futures, alternative societies, and speculative technologies. How has the genre of science fiction developed across the past three centuries in terms of form, and how is that development related to the history of utopian thought?
Outline Of Syllabus
The module begins with an introduction to the history of utopian thought and the origins of science fiction. With a grounding in key concepts and historical contexts, students will then encounter a range of texts that explore ideas of utopia (and dystopia), alternative societies, and speculative technologies. There will be a particular emphasis on how formal innovations — such as the emergence of the novel, graphic novels, film, television, and video games — have shaped the utopian tradition and the development of the genre of science fiction.
The syllabus will include selected texts from 1700 to the present in a variety of forms. It may include texts such as: Jonathan Swift’s *Gulliver’s Travels* (1726), Mary Shelley's *The Last Man* (1826), short stories by H.G. Wells, 'Ursula K. Le Guin’s *The Dispossessed* (1974), television episodes from the Star Trek franchise (1966-the present), the Bioshock series of video games (2007-2013), and the Dune films (2021-2024).
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 40:00 | 40:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 116:00 | 116:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Assessment workshops |
| Guided Independent Study | Student-led group activity | 9 | 1:00 | 9:00 | Students will be required to meet nine times in study groups for one hour. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Weekly lectures will introduce students to the primary materials, key critical issues and relevant theories and methods. In weekly two-hour seminars, students will develop their understanding of the primary texts and key concepts through collaborative critical analysis, discussion, and debate. Study groups, based around work set by the module convener, will help students to prepare for the seminars. Workshops will help students to prepare for the assessments.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 2 | M | 40 | Choice of written or spoken assessment. |
| Written exercise | 2 | A | 60 | N/A |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
A mid-module portfolio worth 40% of the marks available will focus on texts studied in the first six weeks of the module. Students will choose between:
1) a 1,500-word written analysis of a provided extract in response to an accompanying question.
2) a 15-minute presentation analysing a specific aspect of utopian/dystopian thinking in science fiction, using a self-created question.
3) a 1-2-person podcast analysing a specific aspect of utopian/dystopian thinking in science fiction.
An end of module assessment of 2,500 words, worth 60% of the mark available, will assess students' overall understanding and develop their intellectual independence whilst supporting student choice and interests.Students can choose between:
1. Writing a critical essay based on a self-created question.
2. Composing a creative response to a source, text or object encountered on the module, with a critical reflection.
3. Producing a digital exhibition that engages with a specific aspect of utopian/dystopian thinking in science fiction.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SEL3456's Timetable