1. Gethen as a Thought Experiment: Using Analytical Philosophy to Examine the Themes of Ursula Le Guin’s Science Fiction Novel The Left Hand of Darkness : using analytical philosophy to examine the themes of Ursula Le Guin’s science fiction novel The left hand of darknessMarina Bajić, 2023, magistrsko delo Opis: In her work The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula Le Guin poses a thought experiment in the form of a planet called Gethen: what would the world be like if we were all biologically genderless (most of the time)? The Gethenians are biologically genderless 28 days and assume one of the two genders (male or female) during the remaining days of the sexual cycle. They always assume the opposite gender of their partner and not necessarily the same gender every time. While Le Guin explores certain elements of this thought experiment, she does not expand upon it further, but rather focuses on the story of the novel itself. In this thesis, I will be using elements of philosophy (mostly political philosophy) and deconstructing the Gethenian society to truly see what is left, then building it from the ground up again through the Social Contract. The result? Equality presented in a completely new light.
Ključne besede: Ursula Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness, thought experiments, science fiction
Objavljeno v DKUM: 02.10.2023; Ogledov: 393; Prenosov: 56
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2. High-school Students' Use of Fantasy and Science Fiction Reading for EscapismJanja Papac, 2017, magistrsko delo Opis: The thesis “High-school Students’ Use of Fantasy and Science Fiction Reading for Escapism” encompasses findings connected to adolescence and young adult literature. We present the emotional, cognitive and social characteristics of adolescence. We take a look at the influence that childhood traumas and defense mechanisms may have on adolescents. We also present findings connected to escapism and reading therapy. The genres from the title – fantasy and science fiction - are described, as well as their history. We also described fairytales and folktales. We took a closer look at the Harry Potter book series and the opinion some critics have about its influence on youth, as well as some well-known fairytales children can identify with. In the empirical part, we presented the results of a survey created to examine the reading habits and motivation of high-school students. We found that high-school students’ general satisfaction with life does not greatly influence their choice of reading materials.
Ključne besede: high-school students, adolescence, literature, fantasy, science fiction, fairytales, escapism, reading therapy
Objavljeno v DKUM: 13.10.2017; Ogledov: 1694; Prenosov: 209
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3. Feminist Heroines in the Selected Science Fiction (in English and Slovene) and MoviesMargit Berlič Ferlinc, 2016, magistrsko delo Opis: This master’s thesis will research heroines in popular culture in connection with the changing role of women in society. I have investigated different aspects of female characters in the selected science fiction novels and movies, their relationship towards different societies, and society’s response to them as a decisive factor of the action, and the sociological aspect of the phenomenon of strong female characters, which is probably a reflection of the changes in society. I will discuss psychological aspects of the female characters in selected science fiction and movies and how the male counterparts correspond to their relationships, as well as different religious aspects. The comparison will be between the selected texts in English and Slovene and contact points of both cultures will be sought. The development of strong female characters has been especially prominent in 21st century movie culture, so I will also compare them to some older works. I expect the growth of strong female characters in the 21st century in comparison with literature and movies of the second half of the 20th century.
Ključne besede: Science fiction, feminist heroines, society, development, literature, a movie
Objavljeno v DKUM: 26.08.2016; Ogledov: 1932; Prenosov: 163
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4. A THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF DAN BROWN`S NOVEL ANGELS AND DEMONS WITH REFERENCE TO CURRENT AND HISTORICAL CATHOLIC CHURCH POLICY AND THEOLOGYNataša Jakob, 2016, diplomsko delo Opis: I have decided to analyze the novel Angels and Demons written by Dan Brown in my diploma. The work is non-canonical and contains many clichéd themes. However, some non-canonical works deserve much more critical attention than they actually get, and Angels and Demons is one of them.
Dan Brown invented an incredible plot with many entanglements and subplots. All of the plots and subplots are resolved in the end. The novel is pure fiction. Brown uses, but distorts, historical events in order to tell his story.
In my diploma I argued why there has historically been a conflict between science and faith and I wanted to build a bridge between them, and to show how Brown's novel manipulates this conflict. The novel takes the reader on an incredible journey through Rome and the Vatican. I analyzed the main three characters of the novel, and showed how the priest, Carlo Vantresca, does not respect the Canon of the Holy Scripture.
At the end I came to the conclusion that everything in the world is related. Science is born from religion and they can complement one another, as Pope John Paul II stated: “Science can purify religion from error and superstition; religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes. Each can draw the other into a wider world, a world in which both can flourish” (John Paul II. A letter To the Reverend George V. Coyne SJ,Director of the Vatican Observatory). Literature, like Brown's, can deal with these themes in many ways, but because Brown's novel sensationalizes them for commercial purposes, it cannot be considered to be serious literature.
Ključne besede: angels, demons, corrupt, history, distortion, conflict, science, faith, religion, fact, fiction, murder
Objavljeno v DKUM: 03.06.2016; Ogledov: 2200; Prenosov: 147
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5. A CLASH OF WORDS: TRANSLATING AN ALTERNATIVE WORLD FICTIONAndrej Zupanič, 2014, diplomsko delo Opis: The aim of this thesis is to determine a comparative stylistic model that can be used in literary translation for analysing texts of a specific genre: alternative world fiction. The model consists of two parts, general stylistic analysis of prose fiction and specific stylistic analysis of alternative world fiction, which depend on the stylistic approaches suggested by Leech and Short, and Sandig and Sowinski, as well as Mandala’s study of language in science fiction and fantasy. This is put to empiric use on the basis of George R. R. Martin’s heroic fantasy A Clash of Kings, translated into Slovene by Branko Gradišnik. The thesis confronts the source text (original) with the target text (translation) from general as well as specific stylistic viewpoints. However, the emphasis of this stylistic analysis lies on the latter part that is text- and/or genre-specific. Within this part of the analysis, attention is directed toward geographic, character and other proper names, text- or genre-specific lexical and grammatical categories, use of archaic forms and language contact. These categories are considered from the translation viewpoint, thus revealing certain problems a translator faces while translating and/or adapting certain terms. The analysis merges literary linguistics with literary translation and confronts these with translator’s creative freedom, an artistic function every literary translator should posses. The thesis thus deals in its separate parts with word-formation, grammatical structures, the lexicon of British and American English, archaisms and fictive languages, and compares them with corresponding translations. These comparisons are then used to yield important stylistic revelations a translator should abide while translating alternative world fiction.
Ključne besede: alternative world fiction, Branko Gradišnik, Boštjan Gorenc, comparative analysis, fantasy, George R. R. Martin, literary translation, style, science fiction
Objavljeno v DKUM: 15.01.2015; Ogledov: 1982; Prenosov: 175
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6. A LITERARY ANALYSIS OF THE SCIENCE BEHIND CLIMATE CHANGE FICTIONKlemen Kerstein, 2014, magistrsko delo Opis: Analysis of the scientific background in science fiction is one of the approaches used to determine the depth of science represented in the texts. Both qualitative and quantitative parameters are taken into account when one analyzes the stories. The general idea is to examine how scientifically accurate or inaccurate the text is, and how well is a scientific field, proportionally speaking, is covered in the stories.
Analysis of science fiction literature on climate change yields rather similar results. In general, the texts are dark and melancholic. Time wise, the stories are future oriented and accompanied by retrograde implications. As far as the science is concerned, the length of the texts is inversely proportional to the quantity of the science. Most of the stories deal with the phenomenon of global warming, with human activity being the main reason for such occurrence. Both causes and effects are relatively well covered, though the effects appear to be predominant. Besides anthropogenic impact in general, the other frequently addressed causes are changes caused by increased carbon dioxide concentrations, methane emissions and chlorofluorocarbon emissions. Effects such as sea-level rise, temperature rise, ice melting, floods, droughts, animal migration, animal re-adaptation, and vegetation and urban changes, are commonly used in the setting of the stories.
Ključne besede: Science fiction, climate fiction, climate change, global warming, speculative fiction, greenhouse effect, The Windup Girl, Welcome to the Greenhouse
Objavljeno v DKUM: 12.12.2014; Ogledov: 2388; Prenosov: 305
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7. THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE IDEAS OF STEPHEN BAXTER'S AND ARTHUR C. CLARKE'S TRILOGY A TIME ODYSSEYAleš Šopinger, 2013, diplomsko delo Opis: Science and science fiction as well as the ideas that are used by them are interconnected, yet, while science tries to dismiss or confirm certain ideas, science fiction uses these same ideas as substance for their stories. With the advances in science, it is possible to that some ideas move from the realm of science fiction and become science fact.
In the trilogy A Time Odyssey, co-authored by Stephen Baxter and Arthur C. Clarke, we can also find ideas and assumptions that are a part of the realm of science fiction as well as science. A comparison was made between what was written in A Time Odyssey and the view of contemporary science, concerning the ideas and assumptions about the existence of alien life, time travel, and parallel worlds. The comparison showed that the mentioned ideas are a part of science fiction as well as the scientific world, because science is putting a lot of effort in devising mathematical models and theories to dismiss or confirm the ideas that life could exists outside planet Earth, that time travel could be possible, and that parallel worlds could exist, but yet need to be proven.
Ključne besede: science fiction, time travel, alien life, dimensions, science, A Time Odyssey, advancement, technology
Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.10.2013; Ogledov: 1950; Prenosov: 155
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8. THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SEXES IN THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS, "HIS VEGETABLE WIFE" AND "STABLE STRATEGIES FOR MIDDLE MANAGEMENT"Katja Jaušovec Mihorič, 2012, diplomsko delo Opis: In Science Fiction, readers get to know the role of women in correspondence with men and then contemplate their relationships. The relationship can come from everyday life or as a relation in a job and it can also be derived from our mentality and society. It is common that all these relationships develop a higher level in meaning in Science Fiction.
In the two short stories "His Vegetable Wife" and "Stable Strategies for Middle Management" we get to know the role of a traditional woman and a modern woman in comparison to men, but in a more scientific way. We also get to know a society without a distinction between women and men in The Left Hand of Darkness. In the film Splice we will see the twisted way of a woman transforming into a man and what this kind of evolution means for the woman-man relationship. All these plots show different kinds of male and female relations in Science Fiction. The relationships can differ from each other but they can also have similarities or even have their origin in the Oedipus complex and the Elektra complex.
Ključne besede: Science Fiction, relationship man-woman, Oedipus complex, Electra complex, feminism
Objavljeno v DKUM: 04.01.2013; Ogledov: 2239; Prenosov: 116
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9. Science and science fiction: a view into the futurePrimož Hren, 2012, diplomsko delo Opis: Nowadays the fine line between science and science fiction is unclear. What was science fiction few years ago is now a reality. Technology is advancing with incredible speed, and the possibilities are limitless.
In my diploma thesis I will look into technologies that are found in the works of science fiction. I will describe the technologies as they are shown in the works I have chosen. One of my sources is the film I Robot. I will describe the advanced technologies, present their reality and with the help of literature and other sources estimate how long will they belong into domain of science fiction. My primary sources besides the film I Robot are the novels Foundation and Earth written by Isaac Asimov and Benford’s Across the Sea of Suns.
The objective of my diploma thesis is to present the importance of technology for sci-fi literature and to show that the line between science and science fiction is unclear.
Ključne besede: science, science fiction, advanced technology, technology development, the line between science and science fiction
Objavljeno v DKUM: 27.03.2012; Ogledov: 3090; Prenosov: 167
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