Sawyer & Wright (eds) Teaching Science Fiction (Palgrave 2011)

Just in: this promising looking collection of essays by many luminaries of contemporary SF criticism:

The importance of science fiction to undergraduate literary studies cannot be underestimated. Its capacity to challenge students' social, political and cultural perspectives makes it invaluable in highlighting the contingent nature of contemporary society and the potential for change. Teaching Science Fiction is the first book in thirty years to address how science fiction might be taught to this effect. It presents comprehensive treatments of the major phases in the development of the genre including the scientific romance, Golden Age science fiction, the New Wave and science fiction's engagement with the postmodern. The book identifies and explores innovative teaching strategies which will both engage and challenge students whilst providing practical advice on how an sf course can be designed, delivered and evaluated. Sample syllabuses, a detailed chronology, a compact history of the genre and an extensive bibliography make this an invaluable guide for anyone teaching, or considering teaching, science fiction at undergraduate level.

Contributors include the currently BSFA nominated Paul Kincaid, Gary K Wolfe, Chris Ferns, Gary Westfahl, Lisa Yaszek, Rob Latham, Andrew M. Butler (he was using the stylish 'M' middle-initial to differentiate himself long before Iain Banks got in on that act), Brain Attebery, Uppinder Mehan, M, Elizabeth Ginway, Mark Brake, Neil Hook and of course the editors Andy Sawyer and Peter Wright, estmable SF scholars both. I mention it here because I'm in there too (my chapter is called 'Teaching Scientific Romance'); but there is a great deal of critical, theoretical and --as you'd expect from the title -- pedagogicaly practical meat between these covers.