<soapbox>
SF is not popular (though it may be culture). Sci-fi might be popular, but
SF isn't. SF is damned hard to read, and that's why it's not popular. Most
academics think SF = sci fi, and are therefore suffering from grievous
misconceptions. Additionally, most academics don't have the bendy minds
necessary to read SF. Ergo, most academics poohpooh SF.
</soapbox>
Heather, academic of bended mind.
=)
Btw--popular culture *is* an academic field, now. SF is still not in it,
you'll notice, except peripherally through a knee-jerk association with
"technology"...
At 09:28 AM 11/21/97 -0700, you wrote:
> This is something that has always puzzled me... why "popular"
>literary forms are not considered worthy of study by some
>academics. It seems that science fiction, mystery, etc. could
>be interesting to study partly because they are "popular" forms,
>and can say a lot about current culture.
>
> Of course, I'm a scientist who hasn't been in an English class
>for over five years :) Anybody who knows about these things: what
>do you think?
>
>Bonnie
>
>
"Black Holes are where God divided by zero"
hmaclean@kent.edu
http://www.personal.kent.edu/~hmaclean
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