“If science fiction and fantasy writers can create whole new worlds, why do they continue to bring anti-Semitic tropes into their creations?” (Paraphrase of an internet post)
Several years ago, Michael Weingrad created a stir when he argued that Jewish authors can’t write fantasy in part because fantasy is dominated by the Christian conflict between good and evil as evidenced in high fantasy authors such as Tolkien and Lewis, whereas Judaism is anchored in “the law” and Rabbinic tradition based on “rational” questioning, the lynchpin of science fiction but not of fantasy. Then, The Washington Post published Paul B. Sturtevant’s essay entitled “Science Fiction’s Anti-Semitism Problem” which illustrated the ways in which science fiction and fantasy writers carry anti-Semitic tropes into their works, not only in literature, but also in film and television, for example Star Trek’s Ferengi and Star Wars’ Jawas and Watto. Clearly, there is an issue here.
However, all of this begs the question: “what defines Jewish fantasy?” Using works by Naomi Novik, Michael Chabon, Peter Beagle, and Neil Gaiman, as well as scholarly texts that define Jewish values and tropes, this presentation will propose both a definition of Jewish fantasy and a rebuttal to those who do not believe that true Jewish fantasy literature can/does exist.
About the presenterMarilyn Roxin Stern
Marilyn Stern is a (newly retired) Professor of Literature and Film Studies. She has taught courses in Science Fiction & Fantasy and Graphic Novel to Film, and is Area Chair for SF & Fantasy for MAPACA. Her current scholarship has centered on the presence/absence of female empowerment imagery in contemporary fantasy.