This dissertation concurs with the Jungian postulation that certain psychological archetypes are inclined to be reproduced by the collective unconscious. In turn, these psychological archetypes are revealed to emerge in literature as literary archetypes. It is consequently argued that science fiction has come to form a new mythology because the archetypal images are displaced in a modern, scientific guise. This signifies a shift in the collective world view of humanity, or a shift in its collective consciousness. It is consequently argued that humanity’s collective consciousness has evolved from mythic thought to scientific thought, courtesy of the numerous groundbreaking scientific discoveries of the past few centuries. This dissertation posits as a premise that Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s supposition of humanity’s collective consciousness evolving towards what he calls the Omega Point to hold true. The scientific displacement of the literary archetypes reveals humankind’s evolution towards the Omega Point and a cosmic consciousness. / English Studies / M.A. (English)

The selection of science fiction was researched to determine how science fiction should be evaluated and selected in the context of the public library. The first sub-problem to be researched concerned the cultural, societal and literary origins of this genre, after which its distinct phases of development were studied as well as the characteristic essence of science fiction which would affect its selection per se, specifically whether conventional literary criteria are suitable for the evaluation of items of science fiction during selection. The next sub-problem focused on, was whether theory can explain the process of fiction selection, The succeeding sub-problem was to empirically Study current practice in science fiction selection. Survey research was conducted amongst selected major urban/regional public library services in the USA. Final research results indicated that science fiction is a sophisticated, multi-textured genre which differs significantly from fellow popular genres, Science fiction is viewed by some critics as being on the cusp of post-modernism, a significant body of work in contemporary literature, and a supreme expression of late capitalism. Research further showed that no satisfactory evaluative criteria exist. It was also established that theory of fiction selection is not always capable of explaining or guiding the process of fiction selection. There is no model for the selection of science fiction. Finn guiding principles for science fiction selection could be formulated by the aid of this study. The study concluded with a specially-designed model for the selection of science fiction (including a scorecard with specially-compiled criteria for evaluating items), as well as a suggested core collection. A structured approach should be followed by the science fiction selector. The guiding principles and core collection which were formulated in this study, the set of special criteria as well as the model, together demonstrate that the selection of science fiction can be structured, controlled and guided within established parameters. / Information Science / D. Lit. et Phil. (Information Science)

Esta dissertação realiza uma análise do livro A Máquina do Tempo, escrito por H.G. Wells em 1895, e sua transposição fílmica homônima realizada por George Pal em 1960 dentro do escopo do gênero ficção-científica. São analisadas as mudanças que foram realizadas no processo de transposição da literatura para o cinema. Este trabalho discute inicialmente as características do gênero ficção-científica na literatura, como o gênero se diferencia de outros gêneros como a literatura fantástica, por exemplo, e quais são os elementos que compõem a identidade do gênero ficção-científica. Em um segundo momento investigamos os problemas que o gênero ficção-científica apresenta quando transposto a mídia cinematográfica. Entre os fatores investigados estão como a verossimilhança funciona na literatura de ficção-científica e como o leitor se relaciona com ela. Também se analisou como o gênero utiliza o conhecimento científico para criar seus universos ficcionais, e as mudanças que os realizadores fílmicos às vezes precisam fazer para tornar o universo literário ficcional aceitável ao espectador em termos de verossimilhança, considerando que o que é verossímil na literatura não é necessariamente verossímil no cinema, especialmente na literatura de ficção-científica, um gênero que possui uma ligação íntima com a ciência e o progresso. Para finalizar essa pesquisa analisa a relação entre o gênero ficção-científica e o cinema no que diz respeito aos problemas que o gênero apresenta ao cinema em termos de tecnologia. Em outras palavras, o gênero literário ficção-científica traz aos realizadores fílmicos problemas e desafios que exigem a pesquisa e o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias e técnicas visando resolvê-los. / The present work analyzes the book The Time Machine, written by H.G.Wells in 1895, as well as its transposition into a homonymous movie made by George Pal in 1960 as part of the science fiction genre. This work initially discusses the characteristics of the science fiction genre in literature, the way the genre differs from others such as the fantastic literature, for instance, and the fundamental elements of the science fiction genre. It then investigates the problems the science fiction genre presents when transposed to film media. Among the investigated factors are the problem of verisimilitude in science fiction literature and how the reader responds to it. This includes discussing the way the genre uses scientific knowledge to create its fictional universe, and the changes, in terms of verisimilitude, moviemakers need to consider when the fictional literary text is transferred into film. What sometimes is plausible in literature not always seems plausible in movies, especially in regard to science fiction literature, a genre that has a intimacy with science and progress. To conclude, this research analyzes the relation between the science fiction genre and film concerning the challenges the genre presents when transposed into another medium in terms of technology. These challenges require research and the development of new procedures for the cinematographic medium.

Humanity has always dreamed about a better world. These dreams has manifested themselves in the vision of Utopia - the good place, but also the non-existing place. Up until World War II man still wrote optimistic descriptions of this ideal world, and spread the idea through literature. In the aftermath of the atomic bomb and under the influence of the cold war, these publications seized to surface in literary surroundings. Despite this utopia did not die - it has only changed. Today you can find utopia, not primarily in books, but in Science Fiction. TV’s biggest Science Fiction-series, Star Trek, is perhaps the best example of this. The Master's thesis "Utopia Trek - a travel through Star Trek with the concept of utopia" takes you through the history of utopia and into its new habitat, Star Trek, where the essence of a utopia for the 21th century is found, discussed and reevaluated. / Mänskligheten har alltid drömt om en bättre värld. Dessa drömmar har manifesterats i visionen om Utopia - den goda platsen, men också platsen som inte existerar. Fram till andra världskriget skrev man fortfarande optimistiska beskrivningar av denna idealvärld, och spred idén via litteraturen. Efter hotet från atombomben och under påverkan av det kalla kriget, slutade dessa publikationer att dyka uppi litterära sammanhang. Trots detta dog inte drömmen utopia - det har bara förändrats. Idag kan man finna utopia, inte företrädesvis i böcker, utan i science fiction. Tv:s största science fiction-serie, Star Trek, är kanske det bästa exemplet på detta. Magisteruppsatsen "Utopia Trek - utopibegreppets resa genom Star Trek" tar dig genom utopias historia och in i dess nya hemvist, Star Trek, där essensen av ett utopia för 2000-talet upptäcks, diskuteras och omvärderas.

This study examines a range of South African speculative novels which situate their narratives in futuristic or ‘alternative’ milieus, exploring how these narratives not only address identity formation in a deeply divided and rapidly changing society, but also the ways in which human beings place themselves in relation to Nature and form notions of ‘ecological’ belonging. It offers close readings of these speculative narratives in order to investigate the ways in which they evince concerns which are rooted in the natural, social and political landscapes which inform them. Specific attention is paid to the texts’ treatment of the intertwined issues of identity, belonging and ecological crisis. This dissertation draws on the fields of Ecocriticism, Postcolonial Studies and Science Fiction Studies, and assumes a culturally specific approach to primary texts while investigating possible cross-cultural commonalities between Afrikaans and English speculative narratives, as well as the cross-fertilisation of global SF/speculative features. It is suggested that South African speculative fiction presents a socio-historically situated, rhizomatic approach to ecology – one that is attuned to the tension between humanistic- and ecological concerns.

As Richard Thomas writes, “there is nothing like Star Trek…Of all the universes of science fiction, the Star Trek universe is the most varied and extensive, and by all accounts the series is the most popular science fiction ever” (1). Ever growing (the latest Star Trek film will be released in Spring 2013) and embodied in hundreds of novels and slash fanfiction, decades of television and film, conventions, replicas, toys, and a complete Klingon language Star Trek is nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. As Harrison et al argue in Enterprise Zones: Critical Positions on Star Trek, the economic and cultural link embodied in the production of the Star Trek phenomena “more than anything else, perhaps, makes Star Trek a cultural production worth criticizing” (3). A utopian universe, Star Trek invites its audience to imagine a future of amicable human and alien life, often pictured without the ravages of racism, sexism, capitalism and poverty. However, beyond the pleasure of watching, I would ask what do the representations within Star Trek reveal about our popular culture? In essence, what are the values, meaning and beliefs about gender, race, sexuality and disability being communicated in the text? I will explore the ways that the Star Trek universe simultaneously encourages and discourages us from thinking about race, gender, sexuality and disability and their intersections. In other words, this work will examine the ways that representations of identity are challenged and reinforced by Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager. This work will situate Star Trek specifically within the science fiction genre and explore the importance of its utopian standpoint as a frame for representational politics. Following Inness, (1999), I argue that science fiction is particularly rich textual space to explore ideas of women and gender (104). As Sharona Ben-Tov suggests in The Artificial Paradise: Science Fiction and American Reality (1995) science fiction’s “position at a unique intersection of science and technology, mass media, popular culture, literature, and secular ritual” offers critical insight into social change (ctd. in Inness 104). I extend Inness and Ben-Tov here to assert that the ways in which science fiction’s rich and “synthetic language of metaphor” illustrate and re-envision contemporary gender roles also offers a re-imagination of assumptions regarding race, sexuality and disability (Inness 104). Extending current scholarship (Roberts 1999, Richards 1997, Gregory 2000, Bernardi 1998, Adare 2005, Greven 2009, Wagner and Lundeen 1998, Relke 2006, and Harrison et all 1996), I intend to break from traditions of dichotomous views of The Next Generation and Voyager as either essentially progressive or conservative. In this sense, I hope to complicate and question simplistic conclusions about Star Trek’s ideological centre. Moreover, as feminist media theorist Mia Consalvo notes, previous analyses of Star Trek have explored how the show constructs and comments on conceptions of gender and race as well as commenting on economic systems and political ideologies (2004). As such, my analysis intends to apply an intersectional approach as well as offer a ‘cripped’ (McRuer 2006) reading of Star Trek in order to provide a deeper understanding of how identities are represented both in science fiction and in popular culture. Both critical approaches – especially the emphasis on disability, sexuality and intersectional identities are largely ignored by past Trek readings. That is to say, while there is critical research on representations in Star Trek (Roberts 1999, Bernardi 1998) much of it is somewhat uni-dimensional in its analysis, focusing exclusively on gender or racialized representation and notably excluding dimensions of sexuality and ability. Moreover, as much of the writing on the Star Trek phenomena has focused on The Original Series (TOS) and The Next Generation this work will bring the same critical analysis to the Voyager series. To perform this research a feminist discourse analysis will be employed. While all seven seasons and 178 episodes of The Next Generation series as well as all seven seasons and 172 episodes of Voyager have been viewed particular episodes will be selected for their illustrative value.

This diploma thesis on Commented Translation of Joël Casséus' Crépuscules consists of translation of the first three chapters of the Quebec novel Crépuscules into the Czech language and subsequent expert commentary. This commentary focuses on the analysis of the novel genre that balances science fiction and modern myth, as well as the Christiane Nord analysis of the original text through which it explores external factors such as author, reader, intention, text function or its motive and intra-text factors such as theme and content, composition, nonverbal components, lexicon, syntax, and suprasegmental phenomena. Subsequently, in the commentary, we deal with translation problems, their solutions and applied translation procedures such as transposition, modification, compensation, generalization or specification.

Text in English / This study offers a fine-grained analysis of James Cameron’s film, Avatar (2009), on several theoretical fronts to provide a view of the film from a cognitive cultural studies perspective. The insights gained from cognitive theory are used to situate the debate by indicating the value cognitive theories have in cultural criticism. The critical discourse analysis of Avatar that results is a vehicle for the central concern of this study, which is to understand the diverse, often contradictory, meaning-making exhibited by Avatar audiences. A focus on the construction of empathic responses to the film’s messages investigates the success of this polysemy. Ihe central propositions of the study are that meanings and interpretations of the experience of viewing Avatar are made discursively; they are situated in definable traditions, mores and values; and this meaning-making takes place in a cognitive framework which allows for the technical reproduction and reception of the experience while providing powerful, emerging and cognitively plausible narratives. In an attempt to situate the film’s commercial success and its plethora of awards, including an Oscar for best art direction, the analysis takes a critical view of Cameron’s use of cultural stereotypes and the framing of the exotic other, and considers the continuing development of these elements over the whole series and product line or, as Henry Jenkins (2007) defines it, “transmedia”. In drawing the theoretical boundaries of the methodologies used in this study and in arguing for their complementarities, the study contributes to a renewal of Raymond Williams’ (1961) mostly forgotten claim of the cross-disciplinary cognitive dimension of cultural studies and demonstrates an affirmation of this formulation as cognitive cultural studies. / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / M.A. (Art History)

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