Worlds within Worlds: Religion, Science Fiction, and Fantasy with Patrick J. D'Silva

About this class:

This is a 8-meeting virtual class using the Zoom platform.

Tuesdays Jan 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb 6, 13, 20, 27 6-8 pm Central time.

This course examines how religion functions in science-fiction and fantasy. We will cover popular franchises (such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Dune, Battlestar Galactica), genres such as Afrofuturism, and fiction-based religious movements like Jediism. Whether you live your life according to the Jedi Code, or just want to learn more about why that one family member keeps telling you to “use the Force,” this will be a space for fun and thought-provoking discussion.

Instructor bio:

Patrick D’Silva is a diehard sci-fi and fantasy fan who also loves studying religion. He analyzes esoteric breathing techniques from India by day, and ponders the symbolic meaning of dragons and spaceships by night. D'Silva received his PhD in Religious Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill and his MTS from Harvard Divinity School. He lives with his family in Boulder, CO, where he sometimes replays entire Star Wars movies in his mind while cross-country skiing.

Humanities North Dakota classes and events are funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

HND VALUE STATEMENT

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or Humanities North Dakota. However, in an increasingly polarized world, we at Humanities North Dakota believe that being open-minded is necessary to thinking critically and rationally. Therefore our programs and classes reflect our own open-mindedness in the inquiry, seeking, and acquiring of scholars to speak at our events and teach classes for our Public University. To that end, we encourage our participants to join us in stepping outside our comfort zones and considering other perspectives and ideas by being open-minded while attending HND events featuring scholars who hold a variety of opinions, some being opposite of our own held beliefs.