#ArtLitPhx: The Comedy of Coping with Kim Stanley Robinson

Kim Stanley Robinson

The Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing is proud to present Kim Stanley Robinson in his talk, “The Comedy of Coping, Alarm and Resolve in Climate Fiction.” The event, which will feature a talk, a Q&A, and a signing, will take place on Wednesday, September 20 from 7pm to 9pm at the Phoenix Art Museum (1625 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004). The event is open to the public and free.

The talk is presented by the Imagination and Climate Futures Initiative at ASU, a partnership between ASU’s Center for Science and the Imagination and The Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. More information on the talk (and an RSVP) can be found at the Virginia G. Piper Center website, but here is a bit more information about Robinson’s topic:

In his talk, Robinson will explore the story and science in his latest novel, New York 2140, to argue against gloomy, apocalyptic thinking and in favor of technological ingenuity and dynamic social change. While the effects of climate change are undeniable, the future doesn’t have to be an unavoidable catastrophe. Ultimately, Robinson argues, this kind of dystopian, pessimistic approach muddles the political, social, and economic causes of climate change and prevents us from taking more meaningful actions to address the issues before it’s too late. What kinds of stories should we be telling ourselves in the face of impending calamity? How do we balance the desire to be both inspired and disturbed? How can literature act as a constructive response to existential risk?

You can also find more information on the event’s Facebook page.

ASU’s Climate Fiction Short Story Contest

unnamed (4)Climate change is a creeping calamity, ever-present but so gradual and pervasive that it can be tough to grasp. Climate fiction, an emerging subgenre of speculative storytelling, can help us imagine human futures shaped by climate change by breaking though policy debates and obscure jargon with thrilling stories grounded in real science.

The Imagination and Climate Futures Initiative at Arizona State University, in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is seeking submissions for its Climate Fiction Short Story Contest.

The first place winner will be awarded $1,000, and the top three winners will receive book bundles signed by climate fiction author Paolo Bacigalupi. A collection of the best submissions will be published in a forthcoming online anthology, and considered for publication in the journal Issues in Science and Technology. There is no entry fee to submit your story, and the submission deadline is January 15, 2016.

The competition will be judged by science fiction legend Kim Stanley Robinson, New York Times-bestselling author of the Mars Trilogy, 2312, The Years of Rice and Salt, Forty Signs of Rain, and most recently Aurora.

Learn more and submit your story at the Imagination and Climate Futures Initiative website here: https://climateimagination.asu.edu/clificontest/