Science Fiction Film: Predicting the Impossible in the Age of Neoliberalism

This book provides a new theoretical approach to sci-fi films from the late 1970s to the present, highlighting their political dimension and how they speak directly to current political sentiments. It offers the first full-length sci-fi study that engages with the thought of Carl Schmitt and reinforces the relevance of recent sci-fi films as a critical cultural perspective on today's political climate. By presenting a new political framework, the book looks at the sci-fi film genre's important critical role in a post-political world, deepening and elucidating our understanding of the post-political present and reopening the political imagination to possible future trajectories beyond the horizon of the present.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 168 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Introduction:
Science fiction films have long been a popular form of entertainment, captivating audiences with their imaginative and futuristic narratives. However, these films have also been recognized for their political dimension, addressing issues of power, authority, and social hierarchy. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the study of science fiction films as a critical cultural perspective on today's political climate. This book aims to provide a comprehensive and innovative theoretical approach to sci-fi films from the late 1970s to the present, highlighting the specifically political dimension of these works and demonstrating how they speak directly to current political sentiments.
The Political Dimension of Science Fiction Films:
Science fiction films have always been a site for exploring the possibilities and consequences of technological advancements and social change. However, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a new wave of sci-fi films emerged that took a more explicitly political turn. These films often depicted a future world in which society was dominated by powerful corporations, governments, or other authoritarian entities. They explored the political ramifications of these power structures, questioning the legitimacy of authority and the role of the individual in a society that was increasingly controlled by technology.
Carl Schmitt's Thought and the State of Exception:
One of the most influential thinkers in the study of politics and power is Carl Schmitt. His concept of the "state of exception" has been used to analyze the political implications of emergencies and crises. In this book, we will apply Schmitt's thought to the study of science fiction films, particularly those that depict a future world in which the normal rules of society have been suspended or broken. We will see how power reconfigures itself to ensure the survival of the state, what society means, who we, the people, are, and whether it will still be possible to retain a sphere of liberal, individual rights after the transformative event of the future.
Case Studies:
To illustrate our theoretical approach, we will analyze a selection of films that represent different periods and styles of sci-fi filmmaking. These films include Alien, Blade Runner, and Minority Report, which are widely regarded as some of the most important and influential sci-fi films of all time. We will see how these films address the political dimension of science fiction, exploring themes such as power, authority, authority, and the role of the individual in a society that is increasingly dominated by technology.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, this book offers a new theoretical framework for understanding certain sci-fi films, providing a rethinking of Darko Suvin's classic concept of the novum through a political perspective. By presenting a new political framework, the book looks at the sci-fi film genre's important critical role in a post-political world, deepening and elucidating our understanding of the post-political present and hence reopening the political imagination to possible future trajectories beyond the horizon of the present. This book will be of interest to scholars and students of film and media studies, as well as anyone who is interested in the political dimension of science fiction and its relevance to contemporary society.

Weight: 272g
Dimension: 156 x 234 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474481854