At long last, I am finally attending a WorldCon again. I missed it in recent years, but this year it’s in Ireland, where some of my family is and where some of my family is from. I couldn’t miss it. And it’s a good thing, too, because I have a surprising amount of programming!
Fleshy fears: horror and the body
Format: Panel
16 Aug 2019, Friday 11:00 – 11:50, Wicklow Hall 2A (Dances) (CCD)
From body horror to body snatchers to possession and beyond, how has horror explored, exploited, and pushed the limits of bodily integrity? What is the subtext of different approaches to body horror, and what practitioners are exploring these assaults on the flesh in the most interesting ways?
Kaffeeklatsch: Madeline Ashby
Format: Kaffeeklatsch
16 Aug 2019, Friday 12:00 – 12:50, Level 3 Foyer (KK/LB) (CCD)
Can technology save the world?
Format: Panel
16 Aug 2019, Friday 15:00 – 15:50, Wicklow Room-3 (CCD)
Elon Musk and others believe that technology can and will save the world. Can tech handle growing demands on the earth for resources? Can we invent our way out of climate change? We talk GMOs, nanotech, geo-engineering, and also our faith in tech as a ‘get out of gaol free’ card.
Why is it always raining in Gotham? Noir themes in SF
Format: Panel
16 Aug 2019, Friday 21:00 – 21:50, Wicklow Hall 2B (CCD)
Noir tropes are hugely popular in science fictional settings, such as China Miéville’s The City and the City, or William Gibson’s Neuromancer. In what ways are noir tropes adapted or subverted within the genre? Is there a difference in the ways SF books, comics, and movies use elements of noir? The panel will discuss the uses of noir across SF genres and formats.
Reading: Madeline Ashby
Format: Reading
18 Aug 2019, Sunday 19:30 – 19:50, Liffey Room-3 (Readings) (CCD)
AIs and the female image
Format: Panel
19 Aug 2019, Monday 10:30 – 11:30, Odeon 1 (Point Square Dublin)
Whether in smart homes or wearing mechanical bodies, until recently many ‘female’ AIs emphasised beauty and sexuality. Now some portrayals emphasise strength and intelligence. Can we do both? How does the representation of ‘male’ AIs differ? Must we anthropomorphise AIs and assign them genders? Can we have non-binary AIs?