Feminism in Science Fiction to be Examined in Guest Lecture

The Centre for Law and Culture at St May’s University, Twickenham is to welcome Prof Melanie Williams of the University of Exeter to deliver a guest lecture exploring feminism in science fiction on Thursday 5th February. Prof Williams, who is a Professor of Literary Jurisprudence and Deputy Head of the Law School at the University of Exeter, will present a lecture on Law’s Impotence, Gender Violence and the Power of Feminist Science Fiction. The talk will focus on how ‘feminist science fiction’ centres on the injustices of the world; considering the violence, discrimination and ideological prejudice inflicted on women. Prof Williams will draw on the works of James Tiptree Junior (Women Men Don’t See) and Karen Joy Fowler (What I Didn’t See and We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves) to discuss feminist theory within science fiction. The connections demonstrate interesting links between notions of the ‘alien’ and tensions in biological and feminist theories, links which have subtle relevance to subliminal beliefs in society and law around the world. The free lecture will be held at St Mary's Strawberry Hill Campus from 6pm and is open to the public. For more information, please contact the Centre’s Co-Director Thomas Giddens on thomas.giddens@stmarys.ac.uk.