A woman on the frontiers of existence: Judith Merril activism in 1970’s Toronto

Judith Merril was a renowned writer, critic and documentarist within the field of science fiction. While most of her writings have been connected to a variety of political movements, her Canadian years have been particularly engaged with anti-war and environmental issues. All throughout 1970, Judith Merril was an active advocate for peace and sought solution for environmental problems such as pollution, overpopulation and the risk of climate change, debating this problems on radio. Moreover, Merril argued for a science fiction aligned with the issues of its time, utilizing speculative imagination and futuristic narratives to debate current problems and how they affected women. Therefore, the present proposal aims to investigate Judith Merril’s activism during 1970’s Toronto, as well as the relationship between her work within the field of science fiction and her political engagement. Analyzing sources available in conversation with Gender Studies, Intellectual History and Literary Anthropology.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mayurika Chakravorty

Student:

Partner:

Federal University of Parana

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Entertainment and Media; Sustainability & the Environment; Public Service, Policy, and Governance

University:

Carleton University

Program: