From the SFRA Review
Call for Papers: Alternative Governance in Science Fiction
The Editorial Collective
Among the many attractions of speculative fiction is its ability to envision a world different from our own, whether this be a distorted reflection of our own world or something entirely new. Especially in recent decades, many works of speculative fiction take a social rather than strictly technological approach to examining human society.
One aspect of these sorts of alternative worlds takes the form of different visions of governance. Many of the canonical works of SF have tended to imitate historic examples of governments, such as totalitarian empires, democratic republics, and hereditary monarchies. Especially in past decades, these governments serve as little more than set dressing for a story to take place, rather than being critically engaged with to explore the consequences of and alternatives to these systems. Now, however, we increasingly see in SF alternative systems of government both as a consequence of developing technology and as a distorted/distorting mirror through which to view our own systems.
This CFP seeks to broaden understanding of government in SF both within and beyond its typical bounds. We invite papers that reflect upon the issue of governance in SF as it can be, not necessarily how it is. Why and how does a given work depict a particular system of government? What is this system’s relationship to new technologies, whether these technologies be physical, digital or social? How and why is this system intended to estrange our own understanding of governance in the here and now?
The SFRA Review invites submissions that focus on the depiction or criticism of speculative, utopian, dystopian, alternative, or futurological systems of governing. Topics may include (but are not limited to):
- Governments
- Elections
- Monarchies
- Empires
- Dictatorships
- Republics
- Democracies
- Theocracies
- Utopias
- Dystopias
We invite proposals of ~250 words and short author bios by 15 September 2024. Contributors will be notified if their essays are selected for inclusion by 30 September 2024, and full essays of 4000-5000 words will be requested by 30 November 2024. Editing and revision will take place over the next few weeks, and final submissions will be due on 15 January 2025. Edited articles will appear in the Spring 2025 (01 Februrary) issue. Submissions should be sent to (jamesjknupp@gmail.com) and CCed to (vconn@stevens.edu). We look forward to hearing from you.
SFRA Review 