Naslov
The Future is Nuclear: Energy Issues in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation

Autori
Mišík, Matúš ; Kujundžić, Nada

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Mensageiros das estrelas/ Messengers from the Stars. Episódio IV | Episode IV Colóquio FICÇÃO científica & fantasia/ Science fiction & fantasy international conference. Book of abstracts/ Livro de resumos / - Lisabon : Faculdade de Letras Universidade de Lisboa/ School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon, 2016

Skup
Mensageiros das estrelas/ Messengers from the Stars. Episódio IV | Episode IV Colóquio FICÇÃO científica & fantasia/ Science fiction & fantasy international conference.

Mjesto i datum
Lisabon, Portugal, 16.11.2016. - 18.11.2016

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Foundation; Isaac Asimov; energy; nuclear energy; science fiction

Sažetak
Although nuclear energy has seen a setback in recent years due to the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident (2011), science fiction literature has in many cases put the future well-being and survival of mankind firmly into the hands of precisely this energy source. Utilising concepts from international relations, literary studies, and the emerging field of energy humanities, the paper proposes to analyse the role nuclear energy plays in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy: Foundation (1951), Foundation and Empire (1952) and Second Foundation (1953). The primary focus is on the depiction of nuclear energy – understood to be a crucial plot element in the novels – and its influence on both the characters and the development of the main storyline. The paper relies on textual analysis to examine the different uses of nuclear energy in the Foundation novels, particularly the ways in which it is portrayed not only as a source of power necessary for survival, but also as a foreign policy tool – i.e. especially energy weapon. Building on this line of argumentation, the paper ultimately aims to draw links between the fictitious worlds of Asimov’s trilogy and the current situation in energy policy at the international level.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Politologija, Znanost o umjetnosti

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