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www.GetPedia.com *More than 150,000 articles in the search database *Learn how almost everything works Aliens The Anthropology of Science Fiction Page 1 ALTERNATIVES is a series under the general editorship of Eric S. Rabkin, Martin H. Greenberg, and Joseph D. Olander which has been established to serve the growing critical audience of science fiction, fantastic fiction, and speculative fiction. Other titles from the Eaton Conference are: Bridges to Science Fiction, edited by George E. Slusser, George R. Guffey, and Mark Rose, 1980 Bridges to Fantasy, edited by George E. Slusser, Eric S. Rabkin, and Robert Scholes, 1982 Coordinates: Placing Science Fiction and Fantasy, edited by George E. Slusser, Eric S. Rabkin, and Robert Scholes, 1983 Shadows of the Magic Lamp: Fantasy and Science Fiction in Film , edited by George E. Slusser and Eric S. Rabkin, 1985 Hard Science Fiction, edited by George E. Slusser and Eric S. Rabkin, 1986 Storm Warnings: Science Fiction Confronts the Future, edited by George E. Slusser, Colin Greenland, and Eric S. Rabkin, 1987 Intersections: Fantasy and Science Fiction, edited by George E. Slusser and Eric S. Rabkin, 1987 Aliens The Anthropology of Science Fiction Page 2 Aliens The Anthropology of Science Fiction Edited by George E. Slusser and Eric S. Rabkin Southern Illinois University Press Carbondale and Edwardsville Aliens The Anthropology of Science Fiction Page 3 Copyright © 1987 by the Board of Trustees, Southern Illinois University All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Edited by Yvonne D. Mattson Designed by Quentin Fiore Production supervised by Natalia Nadraga 90 89 88 87 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Aliens: the anthropology of science fiction. (Alternatives) Includes index. 1. Science fiction—History and criticism. 2. Life on other planets in literature. 3. Monsters in literature. I. Slusser, George Edgar. II. Rabkin, Eric S. III. Series. PN3433.6.A44 1987 809.3’0876 87-4721 ISBN 0-8093-1375-8 Superman, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen are trademarks of DC Comics Inc. and are used with permission. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. Aliens The Anthropology of Science Fiction CONTENTS Introduction: The Anthropology of the Alien George E. Slusser and Eric S. Rabkin Part One Searchings: The Quest for the Alien 1. The Alien in Our Minds Larry Niven 2. Effing the Ineffable Gregory Benford 3. Border Patrols Michael Beehler 4. Alien Aliens Pascal Ducommun 5. Metamorphoses of the Dragon George E. Slusser Part Two Sightings: The Aliens among Us 6. Discriminating Among Friends: The Social Dynamics of the Friendly Alien John Huntington 7. Sex, Superman, and Sociobiology in Science Fiction Joseph D. Miller 8. Cowboys and Telepaths/Formulas and Phenomena Eric S. Rabkin 9. Robots: Three Fantasies and One Big Cold Reality Noel Perrin 10. Aliens in the Supermarket: Science Fiction and Fantasy for “Inquiring Minds” George R. Guffey 11. Aliens ‘R’ U.S.: American Science Fiction Viewed from Down Under Zoe Sofia Page 4 Aliens The Anthropology of Science Fiction Part Three Soundings: Man as the Alien 12. H. G. Wells’ Familiar Aliens John R. Reed 13. Inspiration and Possession: Ambivalent Intimacy with the Alien Clayton Koelb 14. Cybernauts in Cyberspace: William Gibson’s Neuromancer David Porush 15. The Human Alien: In-Groups and Outbreeding in Enemy Mine Leighton Brett Cooke 16. From Astarte to Barbie and Beyond: The Serious History of Dolls Frank McConnell 17. An Indication of Monsters Colin Greenland Notes Biographical Notes Page 5 Aliens The Anthropology of Science Fiction <