Star Trek, Star Wars, and the Stories We Need - A Conversation with Dr. Amy H. Sturgis
David sits down with Dr. Amy H. Sturgis, professor of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Gothic literature at Signum University and a contributor to the Hugo Award-winning podcast StarShipSofa, for a wide-ranging conversation about Star Trek, Star Wars, and the stories we need.
They explore why both franchises have retained such fierce cultural grip across generations, unpacking the co-creative tradition that has defined Star Trek fandom, the danger of nostalgic and entitled fandoms, and the distinct but complementary ways the two franchises ask us to think about power, agency, and the future. The conversation also touches on Amy's two co-edited Vernon Press anthologies, the acafan identity, dark academia as a Gothic tradition, and her current recommendations across television, fiction, and music.
Guest Bio
Dr. Amy H. Sturgis is a professor of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Gothic literature at Signum University. She has authored or edited more than a dozen books, contributed over sixty scholarly essays, and holds a PhD in Intellectual History from Vanderbilt University. Since 2008, she has contributed her "Looking Back on Genre History" segment to the Hugo Award-winning podcast StarShipSofa. Her most recent books are two co-edited anthologies: Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier [https://vernonpress.com/book/1961?srsltid=AfmBOoqOloPM4Sk-E8ovskLFGW49jtPfoM3qo46lVkkd9E6mR-HrrW9P]and Star Wars: Essays Exploring a Galaxy Far, Far Away [https://vernonpress.com/book/1751?srsltid=AfmBOooxsxJiiObMapltcamGyzBo5vYum4tn6vg81OsS1CziRVABmsbj] (both Vernon Press, 2023).
Website: amyhsturgis.com [https://amyhsturgis.com/]
Mastodon: @DrAHSturgis@Universidon
Amy's Three Things
Vienna Blood (TV series, PBS Masterpiece)
https://www.pbs.org/show/vienna-blood/ [https://www.pbs.org/show/vienna-blood/]
The Liebermann Papers novels by Frank Tallis https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/MXL/max-liebermann/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/MXL/max-liebermann/]
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins https://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/sunrise_on_the_reaping.htm [https://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/sunrise_on_the_reaping.htm]
In Times of Dragons by Tori Amos
https://toriamos.com/music/ [https://toriamos.com/music/]
Also Mentioned
Signum University SPACE Program (Adult Continuing Education) https://signumuniversity.org/non-degree-programs/adult-continuing-education/ [https://signumuniversity.org/non-degree-programs/adult-continuing-education/]
Heat Death — Decline and Fall series by Asher and Saul Elbein
https://heat-death.ghost.io/tag/decline-and-fall/ [https://heat-death.ghost.io/tag/decline-and-fall/]
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