Science Fiction, Speculative Futures, and the Imagined “Other”

Why do humans imagine beings from other worlds, and what do those stories reveal about our fears, hopes, and values?

How has science fiction helped cultures grapple with otherness, contact, and the limits of what we call “reality”?

What does the evolution of alien portrayals, from invaders to teachers to refugees, say about the times in which they were written?

How have stories of robots, clones, or extraterrestrials served as metaphors for race, gender, colonization, or disability?

How does speculative fiction allow us to ask questions that science, politics, or religion may avoid?

In what ways has fiction predicted or inspired real technologies, such as space travel or artificial intelligence?

What is the difference between imagining the future and preparing for it?

Can science fiction help us prepare for ontological shock or help shape more grounded responses to it?

What kinds of futures are often imagined in mainstream media, and whose voices or visions are missing?

How can we recognize when a story is reinforcing dominant power structures versus imagining liberation?

What does it take to imagine a future that centers equity, healing, and planetary well-being?

How can young people use worldbuilding to explore ethical dilemmas, climate justice, contact scenarios, or spiritual evolution?

What role do artists and writers play in creating futures worth living in?

How can creative storytelling become a form of resistance, healing, or visionary leadership?

Additional resources:

Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements