Public understanding of science in fiction: elements of narrativity within 2001: A space odissey

• Grant number: 15/00073-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2015
• End date: March 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Communications - Journalism and Publishing
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Maria das Graças Conde Caldas
• Grantee: Guilherme Augusto Caruso Profeta
• Host Institution: Núcleo de Desenvolvimento da Criatividade (NUDECRI). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Structuring our thoughts as narratives is a human tendency which allows ourselves to understand the world and spread every sort of knowledge. This study considers narratives, especially the literary ones, as another possibility for the field of public understanding of science. The act of telling stories and endowing them with scientific notions is not restrict to Scientific Journalism, but to other narrative genres as well, including sci-fi novels. Classics like the book 2001: A space odissey (CLARKE, 2013), whose original edition came out during the late 60s, present scientific concepts and predictions so accurate that many times they seem to be creating the basis of possible futures. Based on the pragmatic narrative analysis (MOTTA, 2005) applied to Arthur Clarke's work, this study considers the public promotion of science within the narrative structure which finds itself in the dubious threshold between reality and fiction. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PROFETA, Guilherme Augusto Caruso. Narrative elements in sci-fi and the applicability of narration in texts for public disclosure and awareness of Science: a study based on 2001: a space odyssey. 2017. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem Campinas, SP.