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Science Fiction Culture
In a century that has taken us from the horse and buggy to the world wide web, science fiction has established itself as the literature to explore the ways in which technology transforms society while its counterpart, genre fantasy, insistently reminds us of the magical transformations of the individual in response to the demands of the social. So it should come as no surprise that the fans and producers of these genres come together to create the culture of the future around the ideal that tales of wonder about the future and the imaginary past can be shared as both symbolic communication and social capital.
In Science Fiction Culture, Camille Bacon-Smith explores the science fiction community and its relationships with the industries that sustain it, including the publishing, computer, and hotel/convention industries, and explores the issue of power in those Who seems to have it? Who does have it? How do they use it? What are the results of that use? In the process, Bacon-Smith rejects the two major theoretical perspectives on mass culture reception. Consumers are not passive receivers of popular culture produced by the hegemonic ideology machine that is the mass media industry, nor are they rebels valiantly resisting that machine by reading against the grain of the interpretation designed into the products they consume.
Bacon-Smith argues that the relationship between consumers of science fiction and producers is much more complex than either of these theories suggests. Using a wide range of theoretical perspectives, she shows that this relationship is based on a series of continuing negotiations across a broad spectrum of cultural interests.
In Science Fiction Culture, Camille Bacon-Smith explores the science fiction community and its relationships with the industries that sustain it, including the publishing, computer, and hotel/convention industries, and explores the issue of power in those Who seems to have it? Who does have it? How do they use it? What are the results of that use? In the process, Bacon-Smith rejects the two major theoretical perspectives on mass culture reception. Consumers are not passive receivers of popular culture produced by the hegemonic ideology machine that is the mass media industry, nor are they rebels valiantly resisting that machine by reading against the grain of the interpretation designed into the products they consume.
Bacon-Smith argues that the relationship between consumers of science fiction and producers is much more complex than either of these theories suggests. Using a wide range of theoretical perspectives, she shows that this relationship is based on a series of continuing negotiations across a broad spectrum of cultural interests.
- GenresNonfictionFandom
328 pages, Paperback
First published January 14, 1999
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46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 18, 2020
Published in the year 2000, this text feels a bit like a time capsule, capturing the subculture and industry at a moment of transition in the 1990's. We're in a world where cyberpunk is the new thing and goth subcultures still feel threatening. Additionally, some of the references, notably the much interviewed and now convicted former head of Dragon Con, Ed Kramer, and author and publisher, Marion Zimmer Bradley, although a good many of the voices are still significant forces within the subculture.
The first section of the text does a fairly good job of engaging with the basic institutional structures of traditional fandom, emphasizing the then new online component of the culture. The text is designed more fore an outsider than an insider, acquainting the reader with the language and institutions of the subculture. The online material is vastly dated, but there was something quaint in reading about the world of e lists, bulletin boards and Usenet.
The second section then moves into a set of insurgent groups within the subculture, opening with a lengthy discussion of the history of women in the subculture, moving on to a discussion of LGBT communities within the subculture and discussions of youth and sexual identity. Those engagements are a bit of a mixed bag at this point. If you've read any of the more recent histories of women in science fiction, the material on women on the genre is going to feel fairly familiar. On the other hand, the material on the chapter on the "Gay and Lesbian Presence in Science Fiction" felt a bit more revelatory to me and the history of the Gaylactic Network was really interesting. The chapters on youth and sexual identity felt particularly dated and their conflicts. It stands out that there is no real engagement with fans of color, a consideration that would have almost certainly been taken on if this were to be revised or rewritten.
The final section delves into the commercial side of the subculture, examining the inner-workings of publishing. Again, this section feels a bit dated, but it's an interesting time capsule. Some the concerns that the book expresses about the fate of mid-list authors have only intensified over time, for instance, and the text has a sense that niche publishing will become more important. On the other hand, some of the up and coming authors didn't quite meet their early expectations. It feels like an important reference point if you are doing academic work on the industry, but perhaps of less interest for others.
Overall, this is a solid text and probably a significant one if you are working on the time period. I suspect that its probably of more relevance to an academic working on the time period and subculture than a casual reader. It's less of an issue of the academic references, and more of an issue that the state of the industry and subculture has changed so much. That's less of a comment on the author and the text and more of a comment on the changes that have occurred over the last quarter of a century.
The first section of the text does a fairly good job of engaging with the basic institutional structures of traditional fandom, emphasizing the then new online component of the culture. The text is designed more fore an outsider than an insider, acquainting the reader with the language and institutions of the subculture. The online material is vastly dated, but there was something quaint in reading about the world of e lists, bulletin boards and Usenet.
The second section then moves into a set of insurgent groups within the subculture, opening with a lengthy discussion of the history of women in the subculture, moving on to a discussion of LGBT communities within the subculture and discussions of youth and sexual identity. Those engagements are a bit of a mixed bag at this point. If you've read any of the more recent histories of women in science fiction, the material on women on the genre is going to feel fairly familiar. On the other hand, the material on the chapter on the "Gay and Lesbian Presence in Science Fiction" felt a bit more revelatory to me and the history of the Gaylactic Network was really interesting. The chapters on youth and sexual identity felt particularly dated and their conflicts. It stands out that there is no real engagement with fans of color, a consideration that would have almost certainly been taken on if this were to be revised or rewritten.
The final section delves into the commercial side of the subculture, examining the inner-workings of publishing. Again, this section feels a bit dated, but it's an interesting time capsule. Some the concerns that the book expresses about the fate of mid-list authors have only intensified over time, for instance, and the text has a sense that niche publishing will become more important. On the other hand, some of the up and coming authors didn't quite meet their early expectations. It feels like an important reference point if you are doing academic work on the industry, but perhaps of less interest for others.
Overall, this is a solid text and probably a significant one if you are working on the time period. I suspect that its probably of more relevance to an academic working on the time period and subculture than a casual reader. It's less of an issue of the academic references, and more of an issue that the state of the industry and subculture has changed so much. That's less of a comment on the author and the text and more of a comment on the changes that have occurred over the last quarter of a century.
February 7, 2023
An interesting look into the subculture I belong too. This analysis provides insights into fandom and its relationship to the industry. The points in this book should cause discussion for some time.
July 16, 2023
Published in 2000, this is a three-part work covering the history of science fiction fandom, the inclusion of women and LBGTQ+ folks, and the commercial workings of science fiction/fantasy publishing. I enjoyed reading it though I did like this author's "Enterprising Women" more. This is an academic work so don't look for flash and shininess - there were portions that I didn't fully grasp because I don't have a background in literary criticism or cultural studies. I liked the walk down memory lane though, particularly the last portion. It was like watching a football game of a beloved team when you already know how it wins: will mass market paperbacks maintain? will 'fat fantasy' books continue? what will happen to the midlist? I'd love to see an update on this book now 20+ years later.
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December 27, 2012Not as popular with fans as one might think. IMO, her anthropological POV put some fans off; in other words, it sometimes comes off as 'look at the quaint natives and their strange bizarre rituals'. But I don't see it as much as some might see it. YMMV.
February 17, 2008
Well...not bad, if I could understand her technical language :P
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews