The Golden Age of Science Fiction flourished against a stark backdrop of the Cold War and rising political and economic tensions. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, and John Christopher’s The Death of Grass, ask the chilling questions of ‘what if?’ in an era of rising authoritarianism, thought control, censorship, and attacks on creativity. These novels predict the dangers of social media and isolationism, economic and climate collapse, and what happens to society when crops fail and resources are limited. By placing these works within both their historical moment and our contemporary global context, this course will encourage inquiry into the enduring relevance of mid-century speculative literature. Together, we will explore the lessons these narratives offer—lessons that continue to illuminate the challenges of modern political discourse, media saturation, environmental instability, and the resilience of human communities.
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