For those of you attending Arisia (at the Westin Boston Waterfront from January 13 through 16, 2017), here is my panel schedule. Hope to see you there!
And if you have any ideas for questions we can discuss during the panels I’m moderating, go ahead and share them in the comments or send them to me via Twitter (@drurbanski).
Friday, January 13
DC Movie Universe: Crisis on Infinite Screens
Time: 5:30pm – 6:45pm
Room: Adams (3W)
Tracks: Media
I am moderating this panel with Ed Fuqua, Bob Chipman, and Dan Toland as panelists.
With three movies under its belt, the DC Cinematic Universe is proving to be a creative cesspit, with bad stories, creative miscues, and a complete lack of a moral center. It’s easy to point at Zack Snyder as the problem, but with studio backing and decent box office, clearly the issue goes further. What’s gone wrong with DC on the big screen, and is there any hope to be had from future movies?
On Shaming, Bullying, and Public Humiliation
Time: 8:30pm – 9:45pm
Room: Marina 3 (2E)
Tracks: Fan Interest
I am participating on this panel along with Andy Hicks, Mark Oshiro, TheoNerd, and Inanna Arthen.
SF/F fans are no stranger to bullying — many of us who were picked on for being different at a young age found refuge and escape in the other worldliness of fantastical books, movies, and newer media. The internet age of un-moderated twitter, 4chan, and Gawker has made bullying and harassment easier. The behavior surrounding GamerGate has practically normalized it. What can this teach us about forms of public humiliation and bullying, and what we can do to push back against it?
Saturday, January 14
Another Look at the Bad Old Days
Time: 7pm – 8:15pm
Room: Hale (3W)
Tracks: Literature
I am participating on this panel along with Jonathan Woodward, James Hailer, Sarah Lynn Weintraub, and John G. McDaid.
A lot of SF has aged very badly. A lot of it bore appalling elements even for its time. There’s some usual suspects, but let’s look at the older works of SF with awful elements as a whole. Is there anything worth looking for in those stories? Who deserves to make problematic fave among the problematic horde? Are there lessons that are relevant to modern readers and authors to be found among the stories that make us wince?
Musicals as Fantasy
Time: 8:30pm – 9:45pm
Room: Bulfinch (3W)
Tracks: Fan Interest
Types: Panel
I am participating on this panel along with Chris Brathwaite, Brian Liberge, Victoria Queeno, and Jesi Pershing
Musical Theater is an art form that has a very passionate and committed fan culture. Many musicals have a lot in common with classical fantasy, both in concept and in form. So why aren’t musicals celebrated in the same spheres as Science Fiction and Fantasy literature or media? This panel will challenge the status quo as we entertain and explore arguments for and against including musicals under the umbrella of our love for all things SF/F genre!
Sunday, January 15
Beyond Physics: Many Sciences of Science Fiction
Time: 7pm – 8:15pm
Room: Burroughs (3E)
Tracks: Literature
I am participating on this panel along with Andrea Hairston (moderator), Heather Urbanski, Walt Williams, Dr. Pamela Gay, Dash
While a lot of speculative fiction is still very focused on physics, speculation can come from any field of study including anthropology, computer science, psychology, and history. A discussion of some of the more unusual ways that science fiction has chosen to examine the human condition.
Star Wars, 2017 Edition: Rogue One and More
Time: 8:30pm – 9:45pm
Room: Marina 2 (2E)
Tracks: Media
Types: Panel
I am moderating this panel with Mario Di Giacomo, Frank Wu, Kevin Cafferty, and Mink Rose as panelists.
Our annual discussion of all things Star Wars will focus on December’s *Rogue One*, but we’ll also spend some time looking at *The Force Awakens* now that the hype has settled down, and talk about future releases in the franchise.
Monday, January 16
Routing Around Cognitive Biases
Time: 10am – 11:15am
Room: Alcott (3W)
Tracks: Science
I am moderating this panel with Ruthanna Emrys, David G. Shaw, Stephen R Balzac, and Andrea Hairston as panelists.
Most of us have a friend who always plays the same lottery numbers, refuses to travel by airplane “because they’re not safe,” and thinks music was better when they were a kid. Your friend – indeed, most people – suffers from multiple cognitive biases. How do you make people aware of the flaws in their thinking so that they have the critical tools to avoid such biases in the future? What about the more difficult task of identifying your own biases?
Fan Etiquette: How Not to Be *That* Fan
Time: 2:30pm – 3:45pm
Room: Bulfinch (3W)
Tracks: Fan Interest
I am moderating this panel with Mark Oshiro, Eric Zuckerman, Justine Graykin, and William Frank as panelists.
Have you ever been embarrassed by your fellow fans when meeting actors, musicians, and other people of note? How can you control your emotions and come across as a fan, not a stalker? Even at movies, some fans are yelling at the screen distracting other viewers from enjoying the film. This panel would give some insight as to what is the best way to present yourself and your fandom in a favorable light.
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