Sad and Rabid Puppies: Politicization of the Hugo Award Nomination Procedure
Journal Title: New Horizons in English Studies - Year 2017, Vol 2, Issue 1
Abstract
Originally a conservative genre, in the second half of the twentieth century, science fiction (sf) became a discourse whose progressive presentation of virtually all controversial political issues and critical questioning of the political status quo have remained unmatched in the so-called popular culture, among others. There is no other literary convention that so boldly challenges such issues as racism, sexism, social justice, and ecological devastation. However, the progressive stance of many science fiction writers, editors, and readers has been, in recent years, challenged by loose coalitions of groups calling themselves Sad Puppies and Rabid Puppies, who have acted against what they perceive as the repression of more traditional voices in science fiction communities. The paper will seek to explore recent political shifts within the science fiction fandom, with regard to oppression involving gender, class, race, and ethnicity. I will provide an account of the fandom’s political tensions, disentangle some of the convoluted discussions that have taken place across blogs, Twitter accounts, and Facebook pages of those involved in these debates, and specifically address the controversies related to the 2014 and 2015 Hugo Awards. I will also attempt to illuminate the violent conservative backlash that the aforementioned groups launched against the perceived political correctness and repression of certain viewpoints within sf communities.
Authors and Affiliations
Anna Oleszczuk
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP421794
- DOI 10.17951/nh.2017.2.127
- Views 69
- Downloads 0
Women, Nature and Capitalist Patriarchy: An Ecofeminist Reading of Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood (2009)
The aim of the following paper is to analyse Margaret Atwood’s 2009 speculative fiction novel The Year of the Flood, drawing from the theories of such ecofeminist critics as Maria Mies and Karen Warren. The paper discuss...
Formulaic Sequences in First Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Learning
Formulaic sequences constitute a large part of the language we speak. This group contains, for example, idiomatic expressions, proverbs, mnemonics, or larger texts taught as a whole, like songs or prayers. They seem to b...
Sad and Rabid Puppies: Politicization of the Hugo Award Nomination Procedure
Originally a conservative genre, in the second half of the twentieth century, science fiction (sf) became a discourse whose progressive presentation of virtually all controversial political issues and critical questionin...
(Un) cultural Cats: Multi-dimensional Transition of Felines in Human Society
The status of cats has changed in both society and literature. In human society and literature. Cats have fought their way to human homes, hearts, and to the centre of interest of various fields of science. In the time o...
One Skill, Many Conceptualizations: Discussion of the Ability to Read, the Purposes for and Types of Reading
The main aim of the article is to present the ambiguity of the concept of reading. As an introduction, the author puts into foreground the importance of good reading skills. Then the concept of reading is discussed follo...