Science Fiction as a bridge between Future Societies and the Contemporary Russian and American Cultures

Dr. Mikhaylova will discuss images from science fiction literature and films which have addressed human interaction in space (created by Frederick Pohl, Ivan Yefremov, Arthur C. Clarke, in Star Trek, Avatar, etc.). Is international cooperation essential for humans to move into the Universe – or not? Has the time arrived to build burgers on Mars? Dr. Mikhaylova will discuss the results of recent internet contests of SF about space in Russia and the 'Back to the Future' contest conducted by NASA. Ethical aspects of space exploration are manifold, and there is hope that looking at human conflicts from an extraterrestrial angle still may help to solve pressing problems today and create a livable future.

Speaker: Larisa Mikhaylova, Lomonosov Moscow State University