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Intensive English Institute on the Teaching
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The University of Kansas continues its role as the leader in science fiction education. I can do no greater service to teachers than to repeat the advice that I gave in Anatomy of Wonder 4: you should attend one of the Intensive English Institutes on the Teaching of Science Fiction offered at the University of Kansas each summer.
For 2012, the Intensive English Institute on the Teaching of Science Fiction is scheduled for July 9–20. The Campbell Conference runs July 5–8, and students are strongly encouraged to attend at least the Saturday and Sunday events of the Conference. The Campbell Conference plans to bring the winners of the Campbell and Sturgeon Awards to the campus as special guests, as well as other special guests. Last year we met in Lewis Hall on the 5th floor lobby and will meet again in one of the dorm lobbies where the SF Workshop meets - KU Housing does not assign space until May. News: Starting in Fall 2012, the Institute will also be available as a full-semester course, alternating with the prior summer's SF Institute topic. So for 2012, the SF Institute is the novel and the Literature of SF course is the short story. This year's SF Institute will focus on the readings listed below.
Housing information for out-of-town guests and students is also available below. Institute InformationThis year's offering of the Intensive English Institute on the Teaching of Science Fiction begins July 8 and concludes on July 20, for 12 consecutive days. Students are expected to attend at least the Saturday and Sunday events of the Campbell Conference (July 9-10) before classroom discussion begins on the 11th. The subjects for discussion in the Institutes alternate each year between the stories in the first four volumes of James Gunn's six-volume historical anthology, The Road to Science Fiction, and a list of 25 novels. This year's discussion (2011) focuses on the short fiction. Next year (2012), discussion will focus on the novel. You can find this year's syllabus here.
The purpose of the Institute is to provide an understanding
of contemporary and future science fiction through studying the history of SF.
We read a diversity of great SF and discuss how the genre got to be what it is
today by comparing stories and their place in the evolution of SF, from the
earliest prototypical examples through the 1980s. Permission from Chris McKitterick must be obtained at least a month before the first session
so that reading can be completed before the class begins. As in the past, the director and discussion leader for the Institute is
CSSF Director Chris McKitterick. Founding Director
James
Gunn - one of the pioneer teachers of science fiction - might join the
discussions on occasion, but to be sure to have time to talk with Gunn, join us
at Mrs. E's for lunch (noon-12:50pm most days).
This summer, so as not to compete with other summer English courses - which
are almost all scheduled for the morning hours - Institute sessions will begin
at 1:00 p.m. and normally end by 4 p.m. Class likely meets in the Templin Hall
dorm lobby - watch your email and Blackboard in June for
the final location. Classes meet on both Saturday and Sunday between the first and
second weeks, and students are strongly encouraged to attend the
Campbell Conference weekend beforehand, as well. Housing and meals, if desired, can be arranged separately.
Information on housing and a form to indicate interest in the Institute or
Workshop can be found below. Be sure to complete the reading for the course before the course begins;
students who fail to do so quickly fall behind, and everyone is expected to
participate in the discussions.
There are no exams, but students write short (one page or less) responses to
each day's set of readings - preferably in advance of the first day's session.
We will have a Blackboard interface available for uploading papers in early
June. Your grade (if taking the class for credit) is based on
attendance, participation, response papers, and a
final paper due a week after the course ends. This paper may be one of the
following: Permission to enroll must be obtained from Chris McKitterick
well before the course begins (at least one month)
so you have time to read the course materials in advance. The
discussion order for the readings is listed in the
syllabus here. For the 2012 summer novel program, we will study and discuss the following
novels.
This list might shift a bit over the next few weeks but will be firm by January
16, 2012. Some of these volumes might be difficult to find, so we urge you
seek copies early and, when books are out of print, search used bookstores
and online services (we provide links to two major online booksellers after each
title, above). The University of Kansas Oread Book Store tries to always
have copies of these books on hand.
Address:
Kansas Union, Lawrence KS 66045 You can also order the revised editions of the first four volumes directly
from Scarecrow Press:
http://www.scarecrowpress.com/. Use the Quick Search keywords "James Gunn." You will find this handy Readings Guide
very useful in finding the stories in our various volumes. For those who wish to start reading early for 2013,
we will study most of the following books (the list might see some further
changes; check back in fall of 2012 for updates): NOTE: This list has been updated over the years to reflect recent
important works that helped shape the genre. Here are the books that have been removed since 2008 - still important and recommended
works for understanding the history of the SF novel, but we only have so much
time to discuss: The Center holds a few copies of many of these books, so if you are local to
Lawrence or are in town for our other summer programs,
check with us to see if we can lend you a
copy. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and our library is supplied by previous students donating copies after completing their
course. This year, sessions will be held in either
Wescoe Hall (which also houses the Center's lending library), or in our dorm
lobby - check back for updates. Classes meet every day of the period including
Saturday and
Sunday. Institute sessions begin at 1:00pm and normally end by 4:00pm.
Students often gather for lunch beforehand in Mrs. E's cafeteria (in front of
Lewis Hall), and for dinner, movies, and further discussions in the evening.
The Institute offers three hours of graduate or undergraduate credit for English 506 "Science Fiction"
(undergraduate)
or English 790 "Studies in a Genre" (graduate). The course may also be taken not for
credit for a $250 donation to the Center, but you must first get permission from
Chris McKitterick.
If you are taking the course for academic credit, your grade is based upon: Our official dorm housing for out-of-town attendees is
likely to be
Templin Hall, a renovated residence located at the top of the hill. Most
rooms in these dorms have a private bathroom as well as a sink and counter space
for a microwave or other small kitchen equipment. Dormitory rooms are available at the following rates: Participants must
make dorm reservations by June 1. Please pay
for your room in advance and make this check payable to CSSF (you may
combine checks for CSSF). Use this form to reserve a dorm room. See this map of the University of Kansas to find your way to the dorm:
http://www.ku.edu/~parking/ParkingMap.pdf Check out
VisitLawrence.com for local hotel
information. Meals are available in a variety of places, including the Kansas Union
and a myriad of local restaurants. Check out
Lawrence.com for a list of just a
few of the local eating establishments. More logistical information is available
on the
CSSF LiveJournal.
For credit-earning
students, cost is the University of Kansas tuition for 3 credits of
English 506 (undergraduate credit) or English 790
(graduate credit).
Non-residents should expect to pay more for KU credit.
To take this course through the Center for the Study of Science Fiction (not
for credit), we request a $250 donation, payable to CSSF. If required for a non-credit student, we
will provide a certificate of completion for the course. Please send a check payable to CSSF before you arrive.
Dorm and meal costs rise the longer you stay, of course, so plan appropriately.
Meals vary in cost depending on where you eat.
If you want to reserve a spot for next year's Institute, please fill out one of
the forms below and submit it via email or mail. We require that non-credit
students send their reservation and check by June 24, 2012, or we cannot reserve a
position in the course. Earlier registration is better, as the course often
fills. Our mail address: Chris McKitterick A registration form is available
online. Contact us for any logistical help you might need in getting settled for your
stay: Chris McKitterick (cmckit@ku.edu) or
Lydia Ash (lash@ku.edu). The shuttles most people use to get to and from the Kansas City International
(MCI) airport to Lawrence are: Here's a cropped map of the University of Kansas (click the image to see it
in full-screen size): Here's a map showing where KU is located in Eastern Kansas: University of Kansas map (in .pdf format): Kansas Union map (in .pdf format): Lawrence map (a bus-route map, but very useful, in .pdf format): Google Maps (just input
where you wish to go and it will provide the maps). For anyone who hasn't visited, Lawrence is wonderful,
a lively small city in the Kaw River valley, filled with art, events and activities.
The location of the University of Kansas, Lawrence is situated about 40 miles from Kansas City and 20 miles from Topeka.
Summers can be hot, but classrooms and housing are air-conditioned.
Among its many amenities, the University of Kansas has a large
science-fiction collection and good reference collections; museums of natural
history and art; and sports, theater, and concerts. Lawrence has many excellent
restaurants and shopping and recreational opportunities. Kansas City is less
than an hour away. Nighttime opportunities include movies, dinner, concerts,
and star-gazing sessions.
The nearest major airport is Kansas City International, about 55 miles from
Lawrence. Transportation to Lawrence from Kansas City International can be
arranged through one of several airport shuttle services. By car, Lawrence is at
the intersection of U.S. 59 and Contact us for any logistical help you
might need in getting settled for your stay: |
updated 3/15/2012
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