Speculative fiction is a genre that asks “what if,” allowing us to imagine alternative social arrangements while holding up a mirror to our own assumptions about culture and human identity. The nationality and time period of speculative fiction examined in this course may vary based on the instructor. In different semesters, this class may focus on such topics as the origin and development of science fiction, featuring such writers as Mary Shelley and H.G. Wells; climate speculative fiction (Richard Powers), feminist speculative fiction (Margaret Atwood, Ursula K. Le Guin), or Afrofuturism (Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin). Prerequisite: One course with attribute G1 including AP or IB credit.