WisCon 31 schedule

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WisCon 31 Program Schedule

Friday May 25, 2007

Saturday programs

Sunday 5/27

Monday 5/28

  • 208 Workshop: Morning Taekwondo Solo Presentations•Capitol B• Monday, 8:30-9:45 a.m.

A short introduction to the korean martial art of taekwondo. This workshop will emphasize the applications of the two basic forms (Taeguek One and Palgwe One). No previous experience necessary. Taught by a third degree black belt.

Adrian Alan Simmons

The Craft And Business of Writing SF&F•Caucus Room• Monday, 10:00-11:15 a.m.

Bringing SF & F into the classroom: what are some different approaches for primary school, high school, undergrad, postgrad? Creative approaches to introducing SF & F (examples: as an ethics course, in film studies, pop culture, in gender studies, science programmes, etc.) Devising syllabi and reading lists: go with the "classics," or take a cannon to the canon? What if your department head thinks science fiction has cooties?

M: JJ Pionke, Trent Hergenrader, Kelly McCullough, Cat T. Rambo, Patrick James Rothfuss

Reading, Viewing, and Critiquing SF&F•Senate A• Monday, 10:00-11:15 a.m.

Ever have a conversation with someone about a piece of literature and found yourself surprised and to have it dismissed (or lauded, or simply suggested) as a “boy book” or a “girl book”? Let’s discuss the characteristics that may cause a book to get one label or another. Is it the gender of the author? Of the characters? Of the readership? Its violence, or lack thereof? Its language? Its cover design? Is there any value in these designations for finding and attracting audiences, or do they just wind up ghettoizing whatever they’re applied to? How do these values apply specifically to the SF&F world and the (dying, hopefully?) perception that boys write science fiction for boys and girls write fantasy for girls? And how do non-binary gender systems play into or against these conventions?

M: Sharyn November, Lori Devoti, Liz L. Gorinsky, Laurie J. Marks, Pat Murphy

Feminism, Sex, and Gender•Senate B• Monday, 10:00-11:15 a.m.

How can we question literary standards that support the patriarchy/establishment/Man without suppressing critical judgment, and while maintaining a common critical language?

M: Jesse Kaysen, Jennifer Dunne, Micole Iris Sudberg, Catherynne M. Valente

215 “Wait and See What I Become”: Gender and Performativity in James Robinson’s Starman/The Woman's Superpower: Ghosts, Empaths, and Psychics in Contemporary American Prime-Time Television

Academic Papers•Conference Room 3• Monday, 10:00-11:15 a.m.

1) Starman is a story about generations of families, one that presents two ages of heroes—the simply-themed, brightly colored superstars of the Golden Age and their grittier, more morally complex modern counterparts—as a foil for the relationships between parents and children. In this capacity, writer James Robinson has—and takes—the opportunity to examine and split from not only Golden Age idealism, but also more modern superhero tropes. This paper is a feminist exploration of the roles of performativity and gender in the personal and public identities of three characters: Jack Knight (Starman), the protagonist of the series; Nash (Mist), Starman's primary antagonist and Starman's only major female character; and Mikaal, a minor character whose nature as an alien and relative tabula rasa makes his perspective a particularly interesting lens on constructed social norms. I will examine each character through the lenses of superhero archetypes and culture, Judith Butler's theories of performativity, and my own perspective as a reader; and ultimately address the question, "Is Starman a feminist comic?" 2) In the wealth of supernaturally-themed television currently airing, those programs centered on women protagonists display a curious emphasis on the ability to "sense" emotions or events and to communicate with a spirit world. Scripted dramas such as Medium, Ghost Whisperer, and the now-defunct Joan of Arcadia and Tru Calling are joined by reality-style programs including Life Among the Dead: Lisa Williams. By endowing female protagonists with supernatural abilities, these shows encourage an allegoric reading of women's power in contemporary America. The leads struggle with their gifts as both blessing and curse, as they negotiate their own experience of their powers, the professional demands they face, and the integration of these abilities with a white, middle-class, heterosexual domesticity. Notably, these women find greater overall satisfaction than powerful action heroines of the past. However, the feminist potential of these programs is truncated by the emphasis on traditionally feminine characteristics of communication, care, spirituality and service to others. This feminine supernatural genre is neither coincidental nor a simplistic reinforcement of gender ideology.

Rachel Sharon Edidin, Elizabeth Ellcessor

Feminism, Sex, and Gender•Conference Room 4• Monday, 10:00-11:15 a.m.

As of January 2007, the world population had passed the 6.5 billion mark, and many people feel we’re headed for trouble. Overpopulation has been linked to a whole series of possible catastrophes — global warming, resource depletion, and starvation. What should feminists do, who care about the future of the planet, and our future on it? If we need to change course, what should the new one be. The panelists will be giving short presentations on the problems associated with overpopulation, and their ideas for solutions, after which there will be time for discussion.

M: Nancy Jane Moore, Paula L. Fleming, Philip Edward Kaveny

Politics, Race, Class, and Religion•Conference Room 5• Monday, 10:00-11:15 a.m.

Last year's "Where is the Religious Left?" panel determined that the Religious Left is right here at WisCon. Now it's time for the second part of the conversation. What specific actions can we take both to make ourselves more visible and to work on the social-justice issues dear to our hearts and our faith traditions? How can we do this without falling into the "us/them" dichotomy the Right has used so destructively? In the current climate, is it even possible to avoid the politics of opposition?

M: Susan Palwick, Alyson L Abramowitz, Lynn Kendall, Jean Mornard, Pamela K. Taylor

Politics, Race, Class, and Religion•629• Monday, 10:00-11:15 a.m.

One of the many points of contention between "the faithful" and "the rest of us" is how to tell whether we are living a moral life. For many of "the faithful," this means living in accordance with the precepts of their religion—while to "the rest of us" the externalization of authority seems like an abdication of moral responsibility. For many of "the rest of us," the nearest thing to a moral compass would be some kind of individual test such as "if it feels good, do it" or "to have and to offer no guilt, no shame, and no regrets" or "the golden rule"—while such moral relativism seems like an abdication of religious responsibility to "the faithful." This panel will focus on the "moral compass" of SF characters who grapple with these questions, such as Lauren Oya Olamina of (the late) Octavia E. Butler's Parables books and Father Sandoz of Mary Doria Russell's Sparrow series. We will also consider SF characters who are seemingly oblivious to the issue such as the heroine of Suzy McKee Charnas' Holdfast series and the protagonist of Ken MacLeod's Cosmonaut Keep series.

M: lucy ann synk, Ian K. Hagemann, Isabel Schechter

  • 220 Charting Interstitiality: Choosing stories for InterFictions Solo Presentations•634• Monday, 10:00-11:15 a.m. Delia Sherman
  • 221 The SignOut Events•Wis/Cap• Monday, 11:30am-12:45pm Come and sign your works, come and get things signed, come and hang out and wind down before you leave. Alma Alexander, Charlie Anders, Elizabeth Bear, Steve Berman, Gary A. Braunbeck, Lori Devoti, L. Timmel Duchamp, Carol Emshwiller, Kelley Eskridge, Alicia Ellen Goranson, Nicola Griffith, Andrea D. Hairston, Rosemary Kirstein, Ellen Klages, Naomi Kritzer, Ellen Kushner, Kelly D. Link, Kimberley Long-Ewing, Will Ludwigsen, Laurie J. Marks, Sarah Monette, Nancy Jane Moore, Pat Murphy, Annalee Newitz, Nnedi Nkemdili Okorafor-Mbahu, Susan Palwick, M. Rickert, James P. Roberts, Benjamin Micah Rosenbaum, Patrick James Rothfuss, Rebecca K. Rowe, Melissa Scott, Kristine Smith, Lucy A. Snyder, Midori M. Snyder, Kassandra Grace Sojourner, Catherynne M. Valente, Kerrigan Valentine, JoSelle Vanderhooft, Élisabeth Vonarburg, Ysabeau S. Wilce, Terri Windling
  • 222 Post–Mortem Events•Assembly• Monday, 1:00-2:15 p.m. The last panel of WisCon is your opportunity to let us know how things went for you. Committee members who are still able to walk will answer your questions and listen to your suggestions.
  • 223 Mid Career Writers Gathering Solo Presentations•Senate A• Monday, 1:00-2:15 p.m. Pat Murphy
  • 224 OddCon/Dead Cow Party Parties•629• Monday, 3:00 p.m.- 3:00 a.m.
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