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Social Fiction Conference (SFC)

Mini-Series Event!

For more than ten years, the Crown Programs Office and the Crown Provost Office have been hosting a weekend conference for UCSC students and the community to chat about social justice issues through a sci-fi lens. As things change, the Social Fiction Conference has adapted to better connect with students at all levels. For the 2024-2025 school year, we’re switching things up and turning the Social Fiction Conference into a Social Fiction Mini Series. This series will happen quarterly throughout the year, each time focusing on a specific theme.

This year, the theme for the Social Fiction Mini Series is Narratives of the Future. In Fall Quarter 2024, we invited students to join in on the annual Crown Sci-Fi Writing Contest. On December 4th, we celebrated the winners at the annual Sci-Fi Writing Awards Ceremony at the Cultural Center at Merrill.

The Winter Quarter session wrapped up Geek Week by joining Crown Poetry Club through a week full of writing based on daily and bonus prompts! The celebration on February 25th celebrated students’ creative work with fun giveaways.

For the Spring Quarter, UCSC alumna and Nebula Award Winner, Rachel Swirsky is joining the Crown Programs Office for an exclusive talk about her literary work in science and speculative fiction. Details on the upcoming event can be found below; refreshments will be provided.

Author Talk with Rachel Swirsky.

Monday, May 12th | Santa Cruz Downtown Library | 4pm – 5:30pm

Be sure to check back here often, or follow us on Instagram, or add our Crown Programs and Events Calendar to stay in the loop about upcoming events!

Analyzing societal issues in science fiction, fantasy, and gaming

For over ten years the Social Fiction Conference (SFC) has highlighted Crown’s first year student co-curricular experience. SFC provides a unique opportunity for analyzing important societal issues in the context of science fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy, gaming and other related genres of entertainment. The conference is a co-curricular program designed to create space for festive activities and reflective conversations about issues of identity, power, privilege, and oppression through various fictional worlds. The conference is a part of Crown College students’ first year Core curriculum experience and delves deeper into Crown’s theme of “Science and Technology in Society and Politics” through the imaginative and diverse perspectives of the Crown, the wider UCSC community and beyond. 

All UCSC students, staff, faculty, and affiliated community members are welcome to propose program sessions and participate!

Contact

For general questions and accommodation requests, email crpo@ucsc.edu.