Jenseits der Katastrophe. Nahe und ferne Zukünfte in der Science-Fiction-Literatur

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by Stefan Willer

In view of the recent crises, the future has become something worrying, almost anxiety-ridden. Concepts such as prevention or resilience are aimed at preventing the worst or at least arming ourselves against it. The situation is different in science fiction. It not only offers dystopian visions of doom, but also scenarios of possible future worlds. The lecture looks at drafts of near and distant futures in literature and film.

Stefan Willer is Professor of Modern German Literature at the Humboldt University in Berlin. He researches and teaches literature in the context of the history of culture and knowledge from the 17th century to the present day. One of Willer’s main areas of research is ‘future knowledge,’ which on the one hand refers to knowledge about the future and on the other to knowledge that will only be available in the future. He is (co-)editor of various books, including: “Prophetie und Prognostik. Verfügungen über Zukunft in Wissenschaften, Religionen und Künsten” and “Futorologien: Ordnungen des Zukunftswissens.”