Science Fiction from around the globe: the future of digital societies
In collaboration with MUFANT – Museo del Fantastico e della Fantascienza di Torino
Friday, 2 December 2022
From 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Conference Room “Luigi Ciminiera” (5th Floor), DAUIN, Politecnico di Torino,
Corso Castelfidardo 34/D, Torino (map)
Live tweet: @nexacenter
Conference hashtag: #nexa2023
Free entry while seats last, subject to registration (required) at the address: Eventbrite
Science fiction has often tried to delineate potential societal futures based on technological trends (more or less connected to current capabilities). In other occasions science fiction, rather than an anticipation of the future, delivers a critical look at the present of the complex relationship between technological innovations and humanity.
For these reasons the Politecnico’s Nexa Center for Internet and Society – in collaboration with Turin’s Mufant – Museo del Fantastico e della Fantascienza – will devote its 14th annual conference to science fiction literature. Involving writers from Africa to America, from China to Italy, we will try to imagine how, today and in the near future, art, identity, spirituality, affectivity, life, death and, in a single word, Humanity, can be shaped by the increasingly decisive role of digital technologies.
Conference Programme
10:00 – 10:15
Welcome and registration
10:15 – 10:30
Conference opening
Prof.ssa Elena Baralis, Director of Department of Control and Computer Engineering of the Politecnico di Torino
Prof. Fulvio Corno, Vice Coordinatore Collegio ICM (Collegio di Ingegneria Informatica, del Cinema e Meccatronica) of the Politecnico di Torino
10:30 – 11:00
Introduction: why this conference?
Co-Directors of Nexa Center for Internet and Society
Co-Directors of Mufant – Museo del Fantastico e della Fantascienza di Torino
11:00 – 12:00
Keynote | Fantascienza and Science Fiction in Torino
Bruce Sterling (Trustee Nexa Center, Author, Journalist, Editor and Critic)
12:00 – 13:30
Lunch break
13:30 – 15:00
Panel #1 | Could reality anticipate Science Fiction?
The digital revolution as told by contemporary mainland Chinese literature
Moderator: Davide Monopoli (Director of MUFANT – Museo del Fantastico e della Fantascienza di Torino)
Panelists:
Xie Yunning (Science Fiction Writer from China)
Yang Guoliang (Editor of Science Fiction World)
Consecutive translation provided by Giorgia Rampi
15:00 – 15:30
Panel #2 | Memories of the future
Existence, Machines, Identities in Taiwanese Science Fiction
Moderator: Ilaria Peretti (Editor for the Asia collection by Add editore)
Panelist:
Chi Ta-Wei (Science Fiction Writer from Taiwan)
15:30 – 16:00
Coffee break
16:00 – 17:30
Panel #3 | The long tomorrow
Technologies for living, dying, rebirth: a multicultural Science Fiction perspective
Moderator: Giorgio Raffaelli (Editor of Zona 42)
Panelists:
Martín Felipe Castagnet (Science Fiction Writer from Argentina)
Tlotso Tsamaase (Science Fiction Writer from Botswana, Africa)
Alessandro Vietti (Science Fiction Writer from Italy)
17:30 – 18:00
Open discussion and conclusions
After brief summaries by the panels rapporteurs, the Nexa community and the conference participants will discuss what are the key takeaways emerged during the day. The conference will be closed, as usual, by a few remarks by the Nexa center co-directors.
Download a PDF version of the event poster.
Conference photos: see the Centre’s Instagram account.
Conference video
Information and contacts
For further information please contact Anita Botta, anita.botta@polito.it.
