Worldcon 2019 panel notes: Friday

Friday was a busy day!

Space opera: boldly going where no genre has gone before!
Space opera, science fiction’s beloved subgenre, has changed a lot since the Golden Age. Some predicted it wouldn’t survive long into the 21st century, but space opera has not only survived: it’s thriving, with a new generation of writers boldly taking it in new directions. The panel will discuss current trends in space opera and how they see it evolving in the future.
Mr Adam Whitehead(M), Rivers Solomon, Martha Wells, Bo Balder

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Bridging the language barrier: translated SFF
How has the landscape of translated SFF changed in the last decade or so, both into English and from English into other languages? We’ve seen translated pieces triumph in the genre’s prime awards and gain dedicated magazines, the attention of more readers, and many specialised anthologies. The panel will discuss trends in translated genre fiction as well as possible future directions.
Cheryl Morgan(M), Julie Novakova, Neil Clarke, Francesco Verso, Emily Xueni Jin

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Is epic fantasy conservative?
Back in 2013, Gollancz’s Twitter account made the claim that: ‘Epic Fantasy is, by and large, crushingly conservative in its delivery, its politics and its morality’. The question sparked a discussion that is still relevant and ongoing. Is epic fantasy politically conservative and, if so, what does this tell us about the genre?
Joseph Malik(M), Juliet E McKenna, P C Hodgell, Mary Soon Lee

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Cultural appropriation: a product of a shrinking world?
White SFF authors have historically appropriated other cultures to add depth and excitement to their characters: The Wheel of Time takes the culture of POC and gives it to the Aiel, and Frank Herbert appropriates Islam and applies it to the Fremen. With relatively easy access to travel and digital information these days, how can we make use of a range of influences while avoiding cultural appropriation?
Dr Wanda Kurtçu(M), Michi Trota, Fulvio Gatti, Jeanette Ng, PRK

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Using SFF as sandboxes for ideas on politics and society
Speculative fiction can offer readers and writers a space, removed from ‘real’ life, to explore and criticise society and politics and offer possible solutions. From the economy of your galactic empire to the status of dwarves in your epic fantasy, it is impossible to separate the political from the fantastical, and SFF is a great place to imagine other ways of existing.
Nicholas Whyte(M), Sam Hawke, Eyal Kless, Taiyo Fujii

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Let's do the time loop again
From GroundhogDayto Star Trek: Discovery’s ‘Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad’ and this year’s Russian Doll, the time loop is a tried and true fan favourite. Why does it work? What does it do? What are our favourite examples?
E. Lily Yu(M), Shivaun Hoad, Laura Antoniou, Eliza Bentley, Ira Alexandre

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