Overview
Science fiction might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Irish literature. But in the post-war period in Belfast, two authors, Bob Shaw and James White, began producing science fiction stories, eventually selling them to international markets and gaining the respect of luminaries such as Arthur C. Clarke, Brian Aldiss and Stanley Kubrick. Although lauded in the international science fiction scene for their innovations in the genre, Shaw and White’s work has been relatively ignored within Irish Studies. This book connects the emergence of science fiction in Belfast with the position of the city as the locus of technological development on the island of Ireland, and the development of a corresponding technological imaginary. Breaking new ground in the study of Irish modernity, Richard Howard draws parallels between the narratives of Shaw and White and the persistent influence of historical narratives embodied by the two-traditions paradigm in the region, as well as exploring the figure of the alien both in science fiction and in the history of Northern Ireland. He also considers the works of Shaw and White as utopian gestures against the backdrop of the Irish Troubles, finding both repressive and redemptive elements therein. The book makes an important contribution to the growing conversation about Irish science fiction and our understanding of modernity in Ireland.
Full Product Details
Author: Richard Howard
Publisher: Liverpool University Press
Imprint: Liverpool University Press
Volume: 68
ISBN: 9781800348264
ISBN 10: 1800348266
Pages: 312
Publication Date: 01 February 2021
Audience:
General/trade
,
Professional and scholarly
,
General
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
'Howard's Space for Peace is a valuable contribution to the dynamic body of work emerging at the intersections of Irish literary and sf studies... [Space for Peace] is to be welcomed for its embraided engagement with the overall scholarship in both fields... and, in particular, the lifetime work of Bob Shaw and James White.'Tom Moylan, Science Fiction Studies
'Howard’s Space for Peace is a valuable contribution to the dynamic body of work emerging at the intersections of Irish literary and sf studies... [Space for Peace] is to be welcomed for its embraided engagement with the overall scholarship in both fields... and, in particular, the lifetime work of Bob Shaw and James White.'Tom Moylan, Science Fiction Studies
Author Information
Richard Howard holds a PhD from Trinity College Dublin and lectures in Irish Studies for the Council on International Educational Exchange at Dublin City University.
