The Latinx Files: Race, Migration, and Space Aliens

Global Media and Race

by Matthew David Goodwin, Frederick Luis Aldama (Foreword)

In The Latinx Files , Matthew David Goodwin traces how Latinx science fiction writers are reclaiming the space alien from its xenophobic legacy in the science fiction genre. The book argues that the space alien is a vital Latinx figure preserving Latinx cultures by activating the myriad possible constructions of the space alien to represent race and migration in the popular imagination. The works discussed in this book, including those of H.G. Wells, Gloria Anzaldúa, Junot Diaz, André M. Carrington, and many others, often explicitly reject the derogatory correlation of the space alien and Latinxs, while at other times, they contain space aliens that function as a source of either enlightenment or horror for Latinx communities. Throughout this nuanced analysis, The Latinx Files demonstrates how the character of the space alien has been significant to Latinx communities and has great potential for future writers and artists. 
 

166 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2021

Reviews

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started this for class months ago and FINALLY FINISHED because I was not letting this roll over into the new year. Overall a good and interesting look at Latine Sci-Fi especially considering allegories of "illegal aliens".

A very subjective 3.5/5