Between Extrapolation and Speculation: Reading Octavia E. Butler in the Geography Classroom.

In this commentary, we explore how the work of Octavia E. Butler, a prominent Black feminist speculative fiction author, can enrich teaching practices aimed at fostering collective and emancipatory forms of future‐making in Political and Urban Geography. Focusing on Butler's Parables duology, a sign...

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Publicado en:Geographical Journal Vol. 192; no. 2; pp. 1 - 5
Autores principales: Müller, Frank I., Schwarz, Anke
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Jun2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Between Extrapolation and Speculation: Reading Octavia E. Butler in the Geography Classroom.
      aug:
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          Müller, Frank I.
          Schwarz, Anke
        affil:
          Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
          European Center of Just Transition Research, Martin‐Luther‐Universität Halle‐Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
      keyword:
        geographies of futures
        human geography
        science fiction
        speculation
        transformative learning
        geographies of futures
        human geography
        science fiction
        speculation
        transformative learning
      ab: In this commentary, we explore how the work of Octavia E. Butler, a prominent Black feminist speculative fiction author, can enrich teaching practices aimed at fostering collective and emancipatory forms of future‐making in Political and Urban Geography. Focusing on Butler's Parables duology, a significant example of climate fiction, we demonstrate how fictional narratives of home‐making can shape our understanding of the present and encourage reflection on methods of envisioning the future. We argue that Butler's approach, which combines logical extrapolation with creative speculation, can cultivate transformative practices. This dual and intertwined methodology supports a critical engagement with plausible futures and spatial imaginaries, making it a valuable component of geographical curricula. This commentary explores how the work of Octavia E. Butler may enrich teaching practices aimed at fostering collective and emancipatory forms of future‐making in Political and Urban Geography. Focusing on Butler's Parables duology, we demonstrate how fictional narratives of home‐making can shape our understanding of the present and encourage reflection on methods of envisioning the future. Combining logical extrapolation with creative speculation, Butler's approach supports a critical engagement with plausible futures and spatial imaginaries, making it a valuable component of geographical curricula.
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      src: R
    language: English
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