{"product_id":"9781472533555","title":"Religion in Science Fiction : The Evolution of an Idea and the Extinction of a Genre","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eReligion in Science Fiction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Steven Hrotic\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eReligion in Science Fiction \u003c\/i\u003einvestigates the history of the representations of religion in science fiction literature. Space travel, futuristic societies, and non-human cultures are traditional themes in science fiction.  Speculating on the societal impacts of as-yet-undiscovered technologies is, after all, one of the distinguishing characteristics of science fiction literature.  A more surprising theme may be a parallel exploration of religion:  its institutional nature, social functions, and the tensions between religious and scientific worldviews.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSteven Hrotic investigates the representations of religion in 19th century proto-science fiction, and genre science fiction from the 1920s through the end of the century.  Taken together, he argues that these stories tell an overarching story-a 'metanarrative'-of an evolving respect for religion, paralleling a decline in the belief that science will lead us to an ideal (and religion-free) future.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eScience fiction's metanarrative represents more than simply a shift in popular perceptions of religion:  it also serves as a model for cognitive anthropology, providing new insights into how groups and identities form in a globalized world, and into how crucial a role narratives may play.  Ironically, this same perspective suggests that science fiction, as it was in the 20th century, may no longer exist.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Hrotic's disciplinary standpoint as a cognitive anthropologist, as opposed to a literary critic or philosopher, marks his intervention as usefully distinct from our field's usual patterns of inquiry; the approach is quite different from what we usually do, and  quite usefully so, and the book surely worth reading.” —Gerry Canavan, Marquette University, \u003ci\u003eScience Fiction Studies\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The narrow focus allows Hrotic to make a sustained argument about this community. … Each chapter features summaries of the stories (without ruining their endings) and clear arguments about how these stories illustrate the evolving metanarrative of religion. This book would be a fascinating read for a non-academic audience of science fiction fans.” -Kristin M. Peterson, \u003ci\u003eJournal of Religion, Media \u0026amp; Digital Culture\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781472533555\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Bloomsbury Academic","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":40596270809294,"sku":"9781472533555","price":135.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_8e0d4614-37dc-42ca-8d5b-d1f4edb78200.jpg?v=1637853763","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781472533555","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}