The political economy of speculative fiction
Quark is given the opportunity of the lifetime when Grand Nagus Zek asks him to negotiate a deal with a Gamma quadrant species. Zek keeps sabotaging the deal, though, and Quark learns he’s been working with a female. If he just sticks to the Rules of Acquisition, he’ll be fine.
Our outro music this week is from the_miracle_aligner.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
In this weeks episode we discuss 2020 Hugo award winning novel A Memory Called Empire. In which we discuss American Empire and the politics of being a stranger in a strange land.
Special thanks to the Spectology Podcast Ep 22.1 and 22.2, who also did an excellent review, and inspired our own take on this episode. We also speak about the following Guardian article.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Sisko settles a custody dispute of an orphaned Cardassian between his adoptive Bajoran parents and his biological father. Garak and Bashir work to uncover the machinations of Gul Dukat.
Bashir and O’Brien make adjustments to the station as a new crew member joins DS9. Melora battles discrimination, misplaced well meaning gestures, and inappropriate advances from her doctor.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Netflix’s Space Force is ostensibly a political satire created by Greg Daniels and Steve Carell. It attempts to poke fun at the American President and the wider political system that created Space Force.
We talk about why the show isn’t funny and, worse, is morally dangerous.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Today we’re experimenting with moving away from a strict episode by episode review and instead are looking at two second season episodes that focus on the fascinating lives of Trill. Invasive Procedure and Playing God provide insight into Trill society and the massive inequality that exists there.
We talk about the Trill quest to gain a symbiont and a huge leg up on all of your Trill compatriots. Gaining a symbiont is enough to consume an entire life and even enough to kill for.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
We had the absolute pleasure of talking to Corey J. White about his recent novel, Repo Virtual. This is a near future, cyberpunk that tackles heavy issues of our day like wealth inequality, corporate overreach, and douchey tech-bro companies all set in a very believable world wracked by climate change and fracturing nation states.
We talked about the warnings in his book and the need for a truly universal basic income to begin to address the global system of oppression called capitalism.
You can get updates on Corey’s work and other interesting news by subscribing to a newsletter he runs with some friends, nothing here.
Image credit goes to Solvent Image.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
On this week’s episode, we are extremely happy to host the amazing Karen, @prairieflaneur, contributor to Alberta Advantage and Format Guardian podcasts, as we discuss the inaugural episodes of Deep Space Nine Season Two, often known as The Bajoran Coup Arc. We hope you enjoy our detailed analysis and wild speculation as we ask… What the hell is going on in Bajoran politics?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
We have another incredible podcast crossover event. Adrian of Spectology joins us to talk about China Mountain Zhang by Maureen McHugh. This is a beautiful and touching novel and, despite being written nearly thirty years ago, it still feels very relevant. We’re very glad we read it.
This post is much later than it should be. Apologies to Adrian and to our listeners. Some references to then current events might feel dated.
Never Let Me Go — Kazuo Ishiguro
The Waste Tide — Stanley Qiufan Chen
The Paper Menagerie — Ken Liu
Mission Child — Maureen McHugh
Follow Spectology on Twitter and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.
We’d love to hear from you! Reach us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at info@androidsandassets.ca
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
At long last we come to the end of season 1 of Deep Space Nine. Kick back and enjoy a detailed analysis of Episode 19, In the Hands of the Prophets. We look at contemporary controversies surrrounding religion and education in 1993, as well as religious politics in the Bajorian military.
Our next episode will be a heartfelt send off for season one.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Op-Eds From the Future is a fantastic initiative from the New York Times. Edited by Susan Fowler, these Op-Eds are science fictional writing imagining an op-ed we might see in the near or far future. Some great writers have already contributed and we hope more do.
We picked four op-eds and talk about them in this episode. Some are good and some are less good.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS