The Peter Lang Companion to Latin American Science Fiction provides a comprehensive overview of science fiction in Latin America by addressing the history and criticism of the genre in the region. It not only maps the cornerstones of the field (books, comics, magazines, movies) but also studies the specific political, social and cultural concerns that gave rise to its distinctive patterns and ideas. This volume organizes and systematizes the state of the field. In this sense, the aim of the Companion is to analyze Latin American science fiction hand in hand with the literature and culture produced in the rest of the region, providing a proper context for its historic, cultural and political themes. Taking into account the complexity of contemporary debates in the field, the editors have made a point of inviting contributors from a wide variety of countries to provide the most diverse possible set of perspectives on the development of science fiction in Latin America.
The volume serves the needs of readers interested in science fiction at large, either in its original language or in translation; students trying to understand the genre; and teachers seeking to address the main issues in the development of the genre in the region by including current approaches to the material. The Companion is an indispensable teaching and learning tool, as well as reference book for critics and interested readers.
The volume serves the needs of readers interested in science fiction at large, either in its original language or in translation; students trying to understand the genre; and teachers seeking to address the main issues in the development of the genre in the region by including current approaches to the material. The Companion is an indispensable teaching and learning tool, as well as reference book for critics and interested readers.
"The Peter Lang Companion to Latin American Science Fiction is an apt testament to how important this genre is becoming in both Latin American and sf studies. With impressive range and clarity, it covers topics ranging from a chronology of speculative texts in Latin American literary history, to the cultures and communities that sustain sf in institutional publishing and fan contexts, to key themes that capture the distinct identity of Latin American sf-political figurations, the borders of science, and gender difference. The editors have curated an impressive set of essays that consider sf in media beyond print, and which take on the difficult question of how the genre might differ from neighboring aesthetic forms such as magical realism and canonical literature. This ground-breaking volume demonstrates the unique contributions and qualities of Latin American sf, and thus its influence on both Latin American cultural traditions and the global shape of sf today." -Sherryl Vint, Professor, UC Riverside, Editor, Science Fiction Studies, Editor, Palgrave Science and Popular Culture series