{"product_id":"9781472534279","title":"Religion in Science Fiction: The Evolution of an Idea and the Extinction of a Genre","description":"\u003ci\u003eReligion in Science Fiction \u003c\/i\u003einvestigates the history of the representations of religion in science fiction literature. Space travel, futuristic societies, and non-human cultures are traditional themes in science fiction.  Speculating on the societal impacts of as-yet-undiscovered technologies is, after all, one of the distinguishing characteristics of science fiction literature.  A more surprising theme may be a parallel exploration of religion:  its institutional nature, social functions, and the tensions between religious and scientific worldviews.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSteven Hrotic investigates the representations of religion in 19th century proto-science fiction, and genre science fiction from the 1920s through the end of the century.  Taken together, he argues that these stories tell an overarching story-a 'metanarrative'-of an evolving respect for religion, paralleling a decline in the belief that science will lead us to an ideal (and religion-free) future.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eScience fiction's metanarrative represents more than simply a shift in popular perceptions of religion:  it also serves as a model for cognitive anthropology, providing new insights into how groups and identities form in a globalized world, and into how crucial a role narratives may play.  Ironically, this same perspective suggests that science fiction, as it was in the 20th century, may no longer exist.","brand":"Bloomsbury USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47141717147888,"sku":"9781472534279","price":30.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781472534279_p0.jpg?v=1763598090","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781472534279","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}