Genre: climate fiction, speculative fiction and blurring boundaries

A two-parter this week. In the first part, Edwin Gilson introduces the literary label of climate fiction and investigates its usefulness, as well as the blurring of realism and science fiction, through the prism of a number of literary works set in California. Following on, Frances Hallam asks "What is cli-fi without sci-fi?". Their presentation gives us a glimpse at the interconnected histories and contemporary contentions across the scope of climate fiction and science fiction, and asks if we can meaningfully separate the two."Edwin Gilson is a third-year PhD student at the University of Surrey, and his research relates to the Anthropocene through the lens of contemporary Californian climate fiction, with particular focus on the tension between the local and the planetary.Frances Hallam (they/them) is an AHRC-funded PhD researcher at the University of Surrey. Their doctoral thesis, entitled ‘Aquafuturism’, explores ocean and sea creature imaginaries in 21st century speculative fiction that figure decolonial and eco-queer storytelling in the Atlantic.-Technecast:This episode is presented by Felix Clutson.The Technecast is funded by the Techne AHRC-DTP, and edited by Polly Hember, Julien Clin & Felix Clutson.Contact: [email protected] / @technecast / @pollyhember / @ClinJulienRoyalty free music generously shared by Steve Oxen. FesliyanStudios.com