Speculative Fiction as a Social Technology

Speculative fiction authors have long been exploring the ways in which new technologies influence the future of humanity. One of the best early examples, and the one I start with, is Frank Herbert. Now that we are firmly in the anthropocene and starting to feel the effects of climate catastrophe, speculative fiction can do even more to challenge us and give us hope. Here, I will look at how speculative fiction can be thought of as a social technology itself and place it within the context of Pacey’s tripartite approach to understanding technology-practice. Using queer, feminist, hopepunk, and afrofuturist frameworks, I will examine how authors like Becky Chambers, Sim Kern, and Octavia Butler critique technological narratives of progress and efficiency.