Fantasy written in the Nordic countries is often based on the pre-Christian national mythologies as presented in Kalevala, the Icelandic sagas, the Edda etcetera. What are the differences in the mythologies, and how are they used in literature?

Participants: Flemming Rasch, Saara Henriksson, Kristina Hård, Rolf Andersen, Jukka Halme (M)

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Vad innebär det egentligen att ha en superkraft? Är det automatiskt upp till den starkare att försvara samhället och vilket utrymme finns det att vara svag och trött som superhjälte? Ser superhjältar annorlunda ut om de skapas ur en svensk kontext, än ur till exempel en amerikansk? Panelen diskuterar stereotypa och nyskapande bilder av superhjälten, superskurkar och de miljöer de befinner sig i.

Medverkande: Love Kölle, Markus Sköld, Finn Cederberg, Anna Jakobsson Lund (M)

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London har stor betydelse i brittisk fantastik, och en motsvarande roll har Stockholm fått i Sverige. Vad har det för betydelse att läsaren känner igen sig? Vilka platser och byggnader är speciellt viktiga? Hur mycket kan författaren förändra för en framtida eller parallell värld men läsaren ändå ska känna igen sig?

Medverkande: Kristina Hård, Maths Claesson, Boel Bermann, Carolina Gómez Lagerlöf (M).

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Octavia Butler died 10 years ago. She was a black sf author, and much of the power of her writing derives from her experiences as an African American in urban California. She used sf tropes to highlight racism, colonialism, and inequality, and personal and family identity, in a way that is hardly possible in realistic literature. Thus, time travel is used to discuss slavery in USA (Kindred) and segregation of vampires illustrates the present situation of black people (Fledgling).

Participants: Caroline Mullan, John-Henri Holmberg, Martin Halldin, Anna Bark Persson (M).

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Libraries are described in many books and films, e g those about Harry Potter, books by Patrick Rothfuss, Umberto Eco and Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Sandman by Neil Gaiman etc. What is the significance of libraries in literature and film? Which libraries would you like to visit? Are there any existing libraries that are especially interesting, and what role did your local library play?

Participants: Maria Turtschaninoff, Caroline Mullan, Markku Soikkeli, Simon Lundin, Jonas Larsson (M).

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Science Fiction, UK Fandom, and Me: Being one woman’s account of her journey thus far through the lands of Science Fiction and Fandom, and her encounters with the denizens thereof.

With some observations on continuity and change. Also some reflections on the use and abuse of the same, and the wearing out of fannish materials.

From Swecon 2016 – Fantastika in Stockholm, Sweden

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The feminist sf of today is certainly different from that written by Joanna Russ and her coevals. Are there any new trends? How are recent works received and criticized? Which authors, and which works, were dominant in the 70’s and in the last decade? To what extent do they reflect the politics of their time?

Participants: Carolyn Ives Gilman, Anna Bark Persson, John-Henri Holmberg, Suzanne van Rooyen, Johan Jönsson (M).

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Robert A. Heinlein is one of the important authors who shaped science fiction. This is a
conversation about reading and re-reading Heinlein in 2016. Sometimes you hear
claims that he wrote anti-feminist, racist books, promoting an extreme right-wing political
view. In what ways are these accusations true and false? If you’ve never read Heinlein
but want to educate yourself, where is the best place to start?

Participants: John-Henri Holmberg and Jessica Elgenstierna (M).

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Denna panel spelades in på Swecon 2016 – Fantastika i Stockholm.

Jules Verne-magasinet, JVM, är det svenska sf-magasin som funnits längst. Den första versionen gavs ut 1940-1967 och innehöll framför allt äventyrs-sf blandat med serier och andra äventyr. 1969-1971 gavs en ny version ut av Bertil Falk, och från 1972 till 2010 var Sam J. Lundwall redaktör. JVM har förutom noveller också innehållit fandomspalt, recensioner och artiklar. JVM har ofta funnits på bibliotek och kan därmed ha påverkat synen på sf i Sverige.

Medverkande:
Maths Claesson, Wolf von Witting, Carolina Gómez Lagerlöf, Bellis, Hans Persson (M).

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