New Approaches in Teaching History

Frederic Krome is a professor of history at the University of Cincinnati Clermont College. In addition to using science fiction films and texts extensively in his teaching, he is the editor of Fighting the Future War: An Anthology of Science Fiction War Stories, 1914-45 (2011), which provides an introduction on how to use science fiction as a primary source in historical research.

New Approaches in Teaching History: Using Science Fiction to Introduce Students to New Vistas in Historical Thought is an enormously creative book. Krome uses his rich background in the genre to show how science fiction stories, novels, and films can enrich and enliven the study of history. As he deals with Cold War anxieties, the possibility of future wars, and a host of other issues, he offers detailed and compelling advice about how to present these topics in the classroom.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsChapter One: Using Science Fiction Stories and Film in the History ClassroomChapter Two: Nationalism, Racism, and Imperialism in the Science Fiction of Jules Verne Chapter Three: Invaders from the Red Planet to We’re the Martians Now: War of the Worlds in a Variety of Incarnations.Chapter Four: Things to Come: The Fall and Rise of Civilization in the Future WarPrimary Source Analysis of a Future War TaleChapter Five: Science Fiction and the HolocaustChapter Six: Mutations and Monsters: Cold War Anxiety in the 1950s and 60sChapter Seven: From Starship Troopers to the Forever WarPrimary Source Analysis: A Photo Essay on the Atomic BattlefieldChapter Eight: From Dune (1965) to The Ministry for the Future (2020): Environmentalism in Science FictionChapter Nine: Confronting the Color Line: Afrofuturism, Science Fiction, and DissentConclusion: A Brief How-To GuideBibliographyAbout the Author