Fall 2024 GEOG 495: Cli-Fi and Science Communication

As we are a course at the University of Washington, we recognize the Coast Salish people of this land, which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Duwamish, Suquamish, Tulalip, and Muckleshoot nations.

Instructor Information

Professor

Dr. Gretchen Sneegas (gsneegas@uw.edu)                               

Office: Smith Hall 424

Student Hours: By appointment via Zoom (schedule Zoom meetings here)

Course meetings

Course Information

Course Description

‘Cli-Fi,’ a combination of sci-fi (science fiction) and climate, describes a speculative media movement in which creators imagine how people on Earth are/will be responding to climate change and its myriad effects. Cli-fi can take many different forms, including fiction, film, board games, video games, music, comics, art, and even non-fictional artifacts like maps, research articles, reports, and policies. While wildly different in their formats, these cli-fi texts all try to accomplish a similar goal: envisioning how humans will navigate a climate-changed world in the near future.

In this class, we will examine the politics, promise, and potential of Cli-Fi as a means of science communication. We will address major questions like: How can speculative cli-fi media communicate both physical and social climate science to broader audiences? What role does cli-fi play in helping us imagine alternative futures? What politics are embedded within and enacted through different ways of imagining a future climate-changed world? 

Together, we will engage these questions by critically evaluating different forms of cli-fi media as socio-political artifacts through which various actors envision alternate futures, politics, and imaginaries. Throughout the quarter, we will collectively conduct a deep reading of Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Sower alongside other cli-fi texts including critical geographic analysis, physical science research, film, poetry, urban planning documents, artwork, news media, environmental regulations/policies, and more. By the end of the class, you will apply the lessons from these discussions and readings to produce your own original piece of cli-fi media which will communicate physical and social climate science research to a broader audience of your choice. 

Learning Objectives

• Identify and assess cli-fi as a method of science communication to different audiences.
• Analyze the politics, values, and assumptions embedded within diverse speculative cli-fi media artifacts.
• Gain a basic understanding of the key biophysical processes driving anthropogenic climate change and its socio-cultural implications for human communities across various regions and places on Earth.
• Develop methods for giving, requesting, and integrating high-quality feedback on different stages of writing and project development.
• Create a unique piece of speculative cli-fi media that communicates physical and social climate science to a broader audience.

Course Structure

This class is structured in a graduate seminar format, meaning that all classes will be nearly entirely discussion-based. Please be aware that this class is both reading and writing-intensive! You will be expected to 1) come to class having read all assigned articles/chapters, and 2) participate in class discussions on those readings. If needed, I will provide some short lectures to explain/clarify certain concepts, but the aim is for you to do most of the talking in this class!

The schedule for each class will look something like the following:

• Before class: 
• Complete the assigned readings 
• Post reading responses to that day’s Canvas discussion board
• During class: 
• Announcements as needed
• Short opening exercise (5 minutes)
• Small group discussion (30-45 minutes)
• Short break (5 minutes)
• Class discussion (45-60 minutes/remainder of class)

Course Materials

To be as inclusive as possible, all readings will either be available via the UW Library system and/or Canvas. Much of the quarter will be spent doing a deep reading of Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. You can purchase a physical copy, OR access the e-book through UW Library. All other readings will be linked and/or made available to download on Canvas.

• Physical copy: Copies are available to purchase through the UW bookstore ($11.99-$19.99). 
• You can also purchase a copy elsewhere; many used copies and earlier editions are available through online sellers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc. 
• Your copy does not need to be this specific edition, although other editions may have different page numbers and formatting. 
• E-book available through UW Libraries (automatically available on campus; if off campus, you will need to log in to the library)

Required materials for each class include:

• Your preferred note-taking method/tools
• Access to assigned readings and your completed reading response
• The ability to access Canvas and to write/submit responses to discussion boards, etc. during class.
• Something to write with (pen, pencil) and scrap paper

If you have any issues meeting the course requirements due to a lack of access to resources (e.g. computer, internet, etc.), please come talk to me for alternative accommodations. 

Grading System & Policies

Assignment Percentages

“Sliding Scale” Late Policy

Assignment deadlines help me manage my workload (i.e. grading all your stuff!) so I can turn around grades and feedback in a timely and manageable way. That said, I’m not interested in harsh late policies which can disproportionately impact more vulnerable students (e.g. those with family care responsibilities, multiple jobs outside of school, etc.). With this in mind, I have tried to make my late policy balanced and fair.

To receive full credit, assignments must be uploaded to Canvas before the designated time on the day they are due. Late assignments will lose a small amount for every day they are late, with no credit given after five days (see table below). Please reach out to me if anything comes up that keeps you from being able to submit assignments on time, so we can work together to find a solution!

Attendance

Research shows that attendance and participation policies are not effective. They often unfairly impact more vulnerable students (e.g. with caretaking responsibilities, jobs, health issues, etc), and actually aren’t correlated with student learning or engagement. Thus, I will not base any components of your grade on attendance, take attendance, or assign/deduct points based on attendance. However, some things to keep in mind:

• Low or non-attendance may impact other aspects of your grade (see Course Assignments below), as robust participation during class discussion is a key variable for overall performance.
• If you know you will miss class, please contact me ahead of time. It is much easier for me to make accommodations with advance notice!

Course Assignments

Climate Change Module

Because the science of climate change is integral to this course, one of your first assignments will be to complete a module on Canvas covering the basics of climate change science. There will be a quiz at the end of the module, which you can take as many times as needed to pass. Due Sunday 10/6 by 11:59 p.m.

Reading Responses & Discussion Questions

This is a reading-intensive class - each class meeting will have 1-3 items that you will read, view and/or listen to before we meet. To participate effectively, it is vital that you complete these assignments before class! To help prepare for each class discussion, you will submit 2-3 discussion questions about the assigned readings to that day’s Canvas discussion board. I will select some discussion questions for that day’s discussion, and will use your questions about the reading to provide additional info/context to the class where needed. Due by 1:29 p.m. before each class

Your discussion questions should go beyond asking whether your teammates liked/disliked the readings, or asking them to summarize the readings. They demonstrate that you have critically engaged the readings, and lead your teammates to do the same. Critical engagement can include: 

• Outlining shared themes between the readings
• Connecting how the readings build upon or relate to readings and themes from prior classes, current events, and/or external sources
• Assessing the importance or limitations of the arguments made in the readings
• Articulating additional questions or lines of inquiry that the texts open up
• Critiquing the arguments made in the readings based on their assumptions and evidence
• Discussing background information relevant to the readings that provides additional context and enriches your understanding of the readings
• Identifying and addressing gaps in your own understanding by looking up and discussing concepts that you did not fully grasp

Speculative Media Analysis

You will analyze a piece of Cli-Fi Speculative Media, which you will choose from a provided list on Canvas. (If desired, you may also propose an alternative piece of media to me to approve for analysis instead of items on the list.) Your analysis will consider what the intended audience for your chosen media artifact; what message(s) you think it is sending about climate change and its impacts; and what politics, assumptions, values, and/or ideologies are (intentionally or unintentionally) being communicated. Essentially, what kind of world is your piece of speculative media envisioning, and why? Due Sunday 10/27 by 11:59 p.m.

Cli-Fi Project

Cli-fi is a medium with rich and often untapped potential for communicating climate science (both physical and social) to broad audiences. In addition to reading and discussing many different forms of cli-fi throughout the class, you will also create your own piece of speculative cli-fi media. Your project will build from class concepts, themes, readings, and discussions to communicate both physical and social climate science in a format of your choice. Your final project will include 1) a Speculative Cli-Fi Artifact; 2) an accompanying Interpretive Essay; and 3) a short class presentation summarizing your artifact’s main message. Pending student permission, I will create a publicly available class website to showcase your final Cli-Fi artifacts. 

• Proposal & Annotated Bibliography: due Sunday 10/13 by 11:59 p.m.
• Cli-Fi Artifact & Interpretive Essay: due Tuesday 12/3 by 1:29 p.m.
• Presentation: In-class Tuesday 12/3 or Thursday 12/5

Speculative Cli-Fi Artifact

You will create a creative and original Speculative Cli-Fi Artifact that envisions the physical and social impacts of climate change for a specific location/community of your choice. How you envision these impacts will be grounded in robust scientific research, and your artifact will embed and communicate this research to an audience of your choice. 

Instead of a traditional research paper, this artifact can take any format you choose! You can communicate your Cli-Fi vision through a short story, work of art, comic, website, video, zine, performance, fashion line, diary, exchange of letters/emails… the sky is the limit! 

Office Hour Proposal Feedback

While not required, I will dedicate time for individual 10-minute meetings at mid-quarter to discuss your project proposal ideas. We will also reserve some time in-class three weeks before the Cli-Fi project is due for you to meet in small groups to discuss and provide feedback on your project direction.

Interpretive Essay

Alongside your Cli-Fi artifact, you will include an interpretive essay of no more than 1000 words that explains and interprets your artifact. Your essay will clearly explain how your artifact communicates up-to-date, credible research on both your projected social and physical impacts of climate change. 

Presentation

During the final week of class, everyone will give a short, well-rehearsed, and lively 4-minute presentation of your Cli-Fi Artifact to the class. Your presentation should summarize the main message your artifact is designed to convey. You do not need to dress up for the presentation, but you should demonstrate strong public speaking skills (e.g. speaking at a comprehensible pace/volume, making eye contact with the audience, engaging the audience, having a clear message, not using lots of filler words like ‘um’ or ‘like’, etc.). You do not need to create a PowerPoint (or other format) presentation unless it helps you present your Cli-Fi artifact. Any presentations/visuals/links/etc will need to be submitted to me before class on the day of your assignment so I can create a slide deck. 

Project Diary

You will keep a project diary with ten (10) weekly entries throughout the class. You should use this as a space to reflect on your process of developing, researching, and drafting your Cli-Fi Project Artifact & Essay. A list of potential prompts will be included on Canvas, but you may expand beyond these questions if so desired. Each entry should be 300-400 words.

• Weekly entries due Sundays by 11:59 p.m.

Peer Reviews

You will complete peer reviews on your classmates' project proposal, using the structured peer review guidance on Canvas. Due Sunday 10/20 by 11:59 p.m.

Final Reflective Essay

You will submit a final reflective essay (1000 words minimum) that reflects on your intellectual development over the class. You will incorporate evidence in the form of your own learning “artifacts” over the quarter to illustrate how you have met the course learning objectives. To supplement the essay, you will compile a portfolio with examples of the learning artifacts cited in your essay. These artifacts could include in-class activities; completed assignments; comparisons of early and later drafts; and/or learning “ephemera” such as notes, outlines, etc. Due Tuesday 12/10 by 11:59 p.m.

Extra Credit

For an extra two (2) percentage points added to any writing assignment, bring an outline or draft of the assignment to the CLUE Writing Center or Odegaard Writing Center. To receive credit, attach proof of your meeting along with your assignment when submitting it on Canvas.

• Eligible assignments: Speculative Media Analysis, Cli-Fi Project & Interpretive Essay, Final Reflective Essay
• You can only receive extra credit once for each assignment - if you go to the writing center 2+ times for different stages of the same assignment (e.g. outline, rough draft, final draft), the extra credit will only apply once to your assignment grade.
• There is no cap on the number of assignments for applying this extra credit. If you wish to use it for all of the eligible assignments, you can!

Course Policies

Technology Policy

It is fine to use technology during class to support your learning! I do request that you refrain from using technology for anything other than class-related stuff, as it can be very distracting to your fellow learners. If I notice anyone using technology in a distracting way during class, I will ask you to put it away…or stare at you until you notice and put it away. 

ChatGPT and other AI tools in the Classroom

There are a lot of resources out there for useful ways that you can incorporate AI into your learning, if so desired; I will curate a list of some on Canvas. We may even use some AI tools during certain in-class activities. However, using AI tools to “write” your assignments is not an appropriate use of AI in this class. If I find you have used AI to generate all or part of your assignments in this class, that will be considered as plagiarism and referred to the UW Community Standards and Student Conduct (CSSC) Office for investigation.

Religious Accommodations

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available here. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form.

Academic Integrity: Cheating & Plagiarism

The University takes academic integrity very seriously. Behaving with integrity is part of our responsibility to our shared learning community. If you’re uncertain about if something is academic misconduct, ask me. I am willing to discuss questions you might have. Acts of academic misconduct may include but are not limited to:

• Cheating (working collaboratively on quizzes/exams and discussion submissions, sharing answers, and previewing quizzes/exams)
• Plagiarism (representing the work of others as your own without giving appropriate credit to the original author(s))
• Unauthorized collaboration (working with each other on assignments)

Concerns about these or other behaviors prohibited by the Student Conduct Code will be referred for investigation and adjudication by the UW Community Standards and Student Conduct (CSSC) Office. Students found to have engaged in academic misconduct will receive a zero on the assignment.

Face Coverings in the Classroom

“UW recommends face coverings indoors and in the classroom when COVID-19 community levels, and strongly recommends face coverings when community levels are medium. Face coverings are strongly recommended for:

• Individuals not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Immuno-compromised individuals or those at high risk for severe illness
• Crowded settings

UW requires face coverings for anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or been in close contact with someone who tested positive: wear a mask until 10 days after start of symptoms, 10 days after positive test with no symptoms, or 10 days after their last contact with the COVID-19 positive person. The health and safety of the University of Washington community are the institution’s priorities. Please review and adhere to the UW COVID Face Covering Policy [pdf].”

I will be wearing a mask indoors when within six feet of other individuals. I will mic myself and/or remove my mask  if necessary to reduce accessibility concerns (e.g. difficulty hearing or reading lips).