Climate Fictions

In a moment when the effects of global warming are being felt around the world, what purpose can fictional accounts of climate change serve? In this course, we will explore how the growing genre of “climate fiction” attempts to render the droughts, floods, forest fires, and storms of our warming world. Reading stories that range from apocalyptic to cautiously optimistic, we will ultimately consider how different narratives shape our imagination of the planet’s future. Primary works will include Roland Emmerich’s film The Day After Tomorrow, Kim Stanley Robinson’s New York 2140, and selections from the anthology Loosed Upon the World.