Friday, August 22, 2014

Academia taking to emerging "cli fi" genre in a, well, academic way





By staff writer




The average person might not know what the initials CFP mean, but in
the world of university professors and independent scholars, a CFP is a
"call for papers" -- academic essays (with copious footnotes) about
sometimes arcane or sometimes pop culture subjects. You need a PhD to
write one.

As the new genre of cli fi -- novels and movies about climate change
and global warming, usually written with a moral imperative rather
than as mere entertainment -- continues to emerge in the global media
world, from NPR to TIME magazine to The New York Times, more and more
academic journals are getting into the act, too, calling for papers
about cli fi as a literary genre, cli fi as a literary meme, cli fi as
a literary motif, cli fi as just about anything pop culture observers
and  university professors want to talk about.

Already, there are journals about cli fi published in Australia, the
UK and North America.

Here's one example:

"Nature strikes back! Genres of revenge in the anthropocene, " a
special issue of the "Australian Humanities Review". It was
edited
by Catherine Simpson and Nicole Matthews and is due out in the fall.

In their CFP the editors asked for 300 word abstracts with full papers be
submitted before March 15, 2014.


The editors explained their mission this way:

''Cli-fi (or climate fiction) has recently emerged as a new subgenre
'describing tales of imminent disaster as a consequence of anthropogenic
'climate change.  If Rachel Carson's Silent Spring invoked nature
'extinguished, passive or defeated, these narratives of environmental change
'present an unexpectedly feral, unpredictable world where an aggressive
'nature runs rampant. In this special issue we hope to excavate the resources
'of popular genres for talking about risk, causality and the unintended
 consequences of human action."


Simpson and Matthews added: "This issue will interrogate the ways we
narrate non-human agency.  How do
these stories revisit the spectacle and power of the sublime? Can popular
culture help us re-imagine environments, objects and non-human animals in a
time of rapid ecological change? What is the affective potentiality of
narratives of hubris, revenge and fear?  And how are whiteness, colonial
politics of 'natives' and 'non-natives', and border policing restaged across
these diverse and composite bodies?  We invite theoretically, empirically
and/or textually grounded articles and welcome articles that locate
Australia in comparative or international contexts."





This was just one academic journal worldwide looking into the cli fi genre in
professorial  ways. The meme is being repeated in other academic
journals in Britain, Canada, the U.S. and Denmark.

Academics such as Stepanie LeMenager at the University of Oregon and
Jon Christensen at UCLA are looking into the genre, too. Arizona State
University has recently invited novelist Margaret Atwood to give a
keynote speech on cli fi novels at a November 5 event, with Atwood
flying in from her home in Toronto for the evening speech.

Cli fi is no longer just a pop phenomenon, talked about on radio shows
and in newspaper forums. The "mushrooming" new genre, as New York
Times higher education reporter Richard Perez-Pena called it in his
news story on April 1, 2014 -- yes, April's Fools Day; go figure! --
is now mushrooming in the halls of academe as well, from Oxford to
Harvard, from Princeton to UCLA.

There are calls for papers. There are calls for action, too. Climate
change issues are just too important to ignore in the national discussions
taking place in political capitals around the world now. The Earth is
on fire. Our descents down the road need our help. Now. Time is
running out. And academics are answering the call - the calls for
papers and the calls for action.

It's about time.


Wednesday, August 20, 2014

The Kardashians and ''Cli-fi'': Interview with Climate Scientist Judith Curry


The Kardashians and ''Cli-fi'': Interview with Esteemed Climate Scientist Judith Curry

Oilprice.com: You've also talked about the climate change debate creating a new literary genre. 
How is this 'Cli-Fi' phenomenon contributing to the intellectual level of the public debate and where do you see this going?
Judith Curry: I am very intrigued by Cli-Fi as a way to illuminate complex aspects of the climate debate. There are several sub-genres emerging in Cli-Fi – the dominant one seems to be dystopian (e.g. scorched earth). I am personally very interested in novels that involve climate scientists dealing with dilemmas, and also in how different cultures relate to nature and the climate. I think that Cli-Fi is a rich vein to be tapped for fictional writing.

READ FULL INTERVIEW HERE

‘Cliffies’ will award climate-change movies

‘Cliffies’ will award climate-change movies

Print Friendly
By Danny Bloom
Danny Bloom
Danny Bloom
Hollywood has a calendar full of movie and TV awards shows, from the Oscars to the Golden Globes, and with a dozen other awards on tap as well. There’s even the Razzies — The Golden Raspberry Awards– for the worst movies in each year’s hefty bag of cinema surprises.
Now a curtain is about to open on a new movie awards event, this one called The Cliffies, and honoring the best climate-themed movies of the previous year. The Cli Fi Movie Awards, as the event is formally called, will shine a serious spotlight on important cli fi movies of the year. Dubbed ”the Cliffies” to give the awards program a nickname as a PR shout out, the event will launch online in early 2015 with nominations in ten categories being sent in now by movie fans and climate activists worldwide.
So far, six cli fi films are up for best movie gongs, including “Snowpiercer,” “Into the Storm” and “Noah.” Categories will also include ”best marketing campaign”, ”most in tune with current affairs” and ”most in tune with current climate science.”
After creating and popularizing the rising new literary genre of “cli-fi” (novels about climate change and global warming) and bringing the meme into the pages of the New York Times, Time magazine and the Guardian in Britain, I decided to set up a new Hollywood film awards event for “cli-fi movies that matter.”
Why movies? Because films have a large impact now worldwide, and the pressing issues of climate change and global warming are too important for Hollywood to ignore. Time magazine led the media charge in May with a three-page article about the new crop of cli fi movies, and when this summer’s Into the Storm was released, reviewers and websites starting referring to the movie as a “cli fi thriller” worth watching. That’s when I realized that the cli fi term was catching on in Hollywood, and that’s when I decided to set up the Cliffies.
The Cliffies will recognize and honor the best climate-themed movies of 2014, and so on for the next 100 years. Movies that best mirror current events as well as those that best mirror current climate science will be in the mix. Nominations are welcome now from film fans and the movie-going public, with the deadline for nominations set for December 31. [Send nominations and information queries to the adminstrative offices at danbloom@gmail.com ]
The Cliffies will not be a glitz and glamor event but will instead focus public attention on climate themes and issues confronting America (and the entire world) at this point in human history. Andrew C. Revkin, a musician and songwriter who also runs the Dot Earth science blog at the New York Times website, has graciously offered to lend his song “Liberation Carbon Blues” as the theme music for the awards event and its website.
In the running for top awards include movies from North America, South Korea and Australia. Actors such as Tilda Swindon, Chris Evans, Russell Crowe, Emma Watson and Matthew McConaughey will be honored as well with nominations for sure and possible top prizes as well.
Will the Cliffies, just getting off the ground now and set to launch officially in early 2015, have any impact on Hollywood studios and the movies they greenlight for future productions? That’s the central mission of these awards: to serve as a wake up call and an alarm bell about climate issues in the center of the film capital of the world.
Global warming is a world problem, and the Cliffies hope to bring the message home to Hollywood and Vine.
Send those nominations in now.

THE CLFFIES: movie awards that honor top cli fi movies of the year

The Cli-Fi Movie Awards will launch online in early 2015 with ten categories, including best movie, best marketing campaign, and most in tune with current affairs. Dan Bloom explains the scoop
http://www.thewrap.com/hollywoods-climate-themed-movies-getting-own-awards-show-guest-blog/ LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood has a calendar full of movie and TV awards shows, from the Oscars to the Golden Globes, and with a dozen other awards on tap as well. There's even the Razzies — The Golden Raspberry Awards – for the worst movies in each year's hefty bag of cinema surprises. Now a curtain is about to open on a new movie awards event, this one called The Cliffies, and honoring the best climate-themed movies of the previous year. The Cli Fi Movie Awards, as the event is formally called, will shine a serious spotlight on important cli fi movies of the year. Dubbed ”the Cliffies,” to give the awards program a semi-goffy nickname as a PR shout out, the event will launch online in early 2015 with nominations in ten categories being sent in now by movie fans and climate activists worldwide. Also Google: ‘Cliffies’ Award to Honor Films About Climate Change and Global Warming (Guest Blog) So far, six cli fi films are up for best movie gongs, including ”Snowpiercer,” “Into the Storm” and “Noah.” Categories will also include ”best marketing campaign”, ”most in tune with current affairs” and ”most in tune with current climate science.” After creating and popularizing the rising new literary genre of “cli-fi” (novels about climate change and global warming) and bringing the meme into the pages of the New York Times, Time magazine and the Guardian in Britain, I decided to set up a new Hollywood film awards event for “cli-fi movies that matter.” Why movies? Because films have a large impact now worldwide, and the pressing issues of climate change and global warming are too important for Hollywood to ignore. Time magazine led the media charge in May with a three-page article about the new crop of cli fi movies, and when this summer's “Into the Storm” was released, reviewers and websites started referring to the movie as a “cli fi thriller” worth watching. That's when I realized that the cli fi term was catching on in Hollywood, and that's when I decided to set up the Cliffies. Also Google: ‘Cli Fi’ Rising to New Hollywood Heights The Cliffies will recognize and honor the best climate-themed movies of 2014, and so on for the next 100 years. Movies that best mirror current events as well as those that best mirror current climate science will be in the mix. Nominations are welcome now from film fans and the movie-going public, with the deadline for nominations set for December 31. [Send nominations and information queries to the administrative offices at bikolang@gmail.com ] The Cliffies will not be a glitz and glamor event but will instead focus public attention on climate themes and issues confronting America (and the entire world) at this point in human history. Andrew C. Revkin, a musician and songwriter who also runs the Dot Earth science blog at the New York Times website, has graciously offered to lend his song “Liberation Carbon Blues” as the theme music for the awards event and its website. In the running for top awards include movies from North America, South Korea and Australia. Actors such as Tilda Swinton, Chris Evans, Russell Crowe, Emma Watson and Matthew McConaughey will be honored as well, with nominations for sure and possible top prizes. Also Google : New York Times Rides Growing Wave of Climate Fiction Will the Cliffies, just getting off the ground now and set to launch officially in early 2015, have any impact on Hollywood studios and the movies they greenlight for future productions? That's the central mission of these awards: to serve as a wake up call and an alarm bell about climate issues in the center of the film capital of the world. Global warming is a world problem, and the Cliffies hope to bring the message home to Hollywood and Vine.

Friday, August 15, 2014

THE CLIFFIES - An annual cli fi movie awards event set for February 2015



Nominations for THE CLIFFIES, an online cli fi movie awards ''event'' in February 2015 for best cli fi movies released in 2014



[send nominations to danbloom@gmail.com with title of movie, name of actor etc and reasons why you are nominating them :]

THE LIST OF NOMINATIONS SO FAR

 BEST CLI FI MOVIE OF 2014

Noah, Godzilla, Into the Storm, Snowpiercer, Interstellar, The Rover (Australia)[ http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/why-david-michod-steered-clear-of-hollywood-to-shoot-the-rover-with-pearce-and-pattinson-video ]

BEST DIRECTORS: Darren Aronofsky, NOAH; Bong Joon-ho, SNOWPIERCER; Christopher Nolan, INTERSTELLAR; David Michod, THE ROVER; Gareth Edwards, GODZILLA; Steven Quale, INTO THE STORM; ETC...

 MOVIE WITH THE BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN
INTO THE STORM, SNOWPIERCER, other nominations open

MOVIE WITH THE BEST TITLE: nominations open

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Noah; Into the Storm, Interstellar, The Rover,


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
SNOWPIERCER, adapted from La Transpiercage, French manga etc more noms open

BEST ACTORS and FILMS THEY APPEAR IN:

Kang-ho Song, SNOWPIERCER, Octavia Spencer, SNOWPIERCER; Ah-sung Ko, SNOWPIECER; Tilda Swinton, SNOWPIERCER, Ed Harris, Snowpiercer, Richard Armitage, Gary Sarah Wayne Callies, Allison Matt Walsh, Pete Max Deacon, Donnie Nathan Kress, Trey Alycia Debnam Carey, Kaitlyn Arlen Escarpeta, Daryl Jeremy Sumpter ,INTO THE STORM; Russell Crowe ... Noah Jennifer Connelly ... Naameh Ray Winstone ... Tubal-cain Anthony Hopkins ... Methuselah Emma Watson, NOAH: this list will not be for one actor or actress but for a list of actors that nominations feel are worthy of being in the BEST ACTORS LIST FOR A CLI FI MOVIE in 2014, lead actors or supporting actors

MOVIE WITH THE BEST CONNECTION TO CURRENT EVENTS:

MOVIE WITH THE BEST CONNECTION TO CLIMATE SCIENCE

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

MOVIE WITH THE BEST LINE OF DIALOG IN A CLI FI MOVIE RELEASED IN 2014:
 among the noms are SNOWPIERCER, Tilda Swinton's character says "You suffer from the misplaced optimism of the doomed. 74 percent of you will die." MORE NOMS welcome

Monday, August 11, 2014

辩论:气候变化小说的力量

2014/08/04 碳极客 评论 0 ======================================== 《纽约时报》7月29日的“观点-辩论空间”专版讨论了这样一个话题:“有关气候变化的科幻小说和电影(编辑命名为“cli-fi”)是不是可以改变我们关于全球变暖/气候变化的应对方式?” 辩论有六位专家学者参加,他们的观点精简如下: J. P. Telotte(佐治亚理工学院媒体学教授):气候变化科幻电影(如《未来水世界》《后天》等)反映了我们对这一议题的焦虑,但它们最多只是引发人们的关注,而无法提出解决方案。 Heidi Cullen(Climate Central首席科学家):有关气候变化的个人故事可以改变人们的观念,让这些看上去高大上远的问题接上地气。 Seán Ó Heigeartaigh(牛津大学研究员):好莱坞的全球变暖故事可能会误导大众。幸好,最近的一些cli-fi小说更加成熟可信(比如《发条女孩》)。 Sheree Renée Thomas(作家):想象力可以帮助我们找到气候变化的问题解决方案。好的科幻奇幻小说带来这样的想象力。 George Marshall(COIN创始人):故事在帮助人们理解气候变化方面至关重要。不过,信者恒信,不信者恒不信,科幻故事只能加强人们自身原有的信仰。 Dan Bloom AT danbloom@gmail.com (cli-fi 网志博主):cli-fi小说和电影的使命就是来改变人们的思维,它们做到了吗?也许还没有,但这个类型的潜力是显而易见的。 这个辩论吸引了很多关注,大家也可以读读下面的讨论,每条都是长篇大论有理有据令人幸福。 来源:http://www.douban.com/group/topic/57757466/

美國新興“氣候小說”暢銷市場

發佈時間:2014-07-21 08:12:36 文章來源:中國出版傳媒商報 閱讀次數: ================================== 伴隨著全球變暖帶給世界各地的極端天氣出現得越來越頻繁,以環境氣候變化為主題的小說,作為一種新型的類型小說,正在美國迅速涌現。一些環境氣候保護激進分子為此創造出了“氣候小說”這一專門的名詞。這一類型的小說通常以喚起公眾對全球變暖危險性的認識為目的。比如《迎戰未來的幾率》(OddsAgainstTomorrow)這本書,主題是未來的紐約市被水淹沒,成為水下城市之後人類該怎麼生存。什麼是氣候小說?它和科幻小說、傳統的未來預測性圖書有何不同?      它被稱為氣候小說,因為它主要是和氣候改變有機聯繫在一起的。早在2008年,一名環境氣候保護激進分子丹·布魯姆就創造出了“氣候小說”(cli-fi)這個詞。環境氣候保護活動家們把氣候小說,或者短篇的氣候小說,看作是一種熱門的新類型小說,這類小說的目的就是為了喚醒公眾對全球變暖的危險性的認識。活動家們寄望於此類氣候小說充滿激情的敘事方式能夠比枯燥的一串串科研數據更有效地驅使人們儘快採取行動。正如《紐約時報》最近報道的,氣候小說已經被美國一些大學用來吸引大學生們關注環境問題。      其實,把氣候改變的影響設定在圖書的故事背景中已經有相當長的歷史。比如1962年出版的J.G.巴拉德的小說《被淹沒的世界》(TheDrownedWorld)。英國文學與環境研究協會主席艾德琳·約翰斯-普特拉教授在描述氣候小說的發展趨勢時說:“直到1990年代,還只有很少一部分小說把氣候變化嵌入到故事背景中,但從2006年起,大約有150部和氣候改變有關的小說印刷出版,其中至少有50本書是把氣候改變作為中心主題。”      那麼什麼是氣候小說呢?有些人把氣候小說看作是科幻小說或者反烏托邦小說的一個子類,用比爾·查米迪斯的話來說就是:“本質上是一個由氣候改變所摧毀的反面烏托邦世界。”它通常和“硬”科幻類作品一樣,都會用到一些科技方面的細節和科學發展趨勢作為故事講述的一個出發點。      還有些人把氣候小說看作一種完全自我獨立的類別。英國《衛報》評論說,和科幻小說不同,氣候小說聚焦于“一種迫在眉睫的急迫和嚴重的威脅而不是等待著去慢慢被發現”。按《基督教箴言報》的說法,氣候小說差不多算是“文學”——言下之意科幻小說不是文學。許多科幻小說是純粹的娛樂和逃避現實。      那麼究竟該如何區分氣候小說和科幻小說?那些竭力推廣氣候小說這一概念的人,這其中以Cli-Fi 為首,這是一個氣候小說的推廣網站,由一家專門出版氣候小說的小出版社出資資助,該網站對這一問題的回答是,“氣候小說的背景不一定總是設定在未來,也不總是啟示錄形式的預警”。氣候小說“擁有不羈的創意和創新性,既是對當前的反應又是前瞻性的,具有開放性結局的作品”。      推測性、文學性、開放式結局……這些描述適用於任何種類的氣候改變、發生在遙遠的未來或者不那麼遙遠的未來的氣候小說,譬如芭芭拉·金索佛描述的發生在當下的小說《飛行行為》(Flight Behavior),主要講述由氣候改變導致的美國東部阿帕拉契亞山脈數百萬帝王蝶的入侵。      這一新類型小說的成功很明顯和它在媒體上被廣泛討論以及最近出版的氣候小說通常都成為了暢銷書有關。一些大牌作家都已出版過氣候小說,不僅僅有芭芭拉·金索沃,還有邁克爾·克裏奇頓的《恐懼之國》(StateofFear)和伊恩·邁克埃文的《太陽能》(Solar)。還有剛進入這一領域正在追求成功的新作者,值得關注的有丹尼爾·克拉姆的《來自這裡》(FromHere)、納撒尼爾·裏奇的《迎戰未來》(OddsAgainstTomorrow)、保羅的《終結者女孩》(TheWindupGirl)。      氣候小說甚至成為了學術研究的一個主題。哥本哈根大學的格裏格斯·安德森最近在哲學博士學位論文中,探討了小說和哲學中的全球變暖現象,分析了1977年到2014年間創作的40種不同的小說、短篇故事和電影,它們都把全球變暖作為了主題。安德森解析了氣候小說是如何在公眾中發揮作用的:它傾向於“誇大全球變暖所帶來的後果,氣候變化常常發生在一瞬間。氣候小說的敘事中所描寫的人物還能記得氣候改變前的世界是什麼樣子的,雖然發生了巨變,但依然是以前他們所認識的那個世界。”這一點正是區分氣候小說和主流科幻小說的一個重要區別,作為讀者,如果書中你居住的星球變成了一個陌生的外星人的世界,會感覺很不舒服。      主流科幻小說的故事通常設定在離我們的現實世界非常遙遠的環境中,讓我們感到自己仿佛遊弋在類似《星際迷航》那樣的高度幻想世界中。氣候小說的未來將會怎樣?毫無疑問前途是光明的,隨著時間的推移,全球變暖的持續,氣候小說很有可能成為位居市場前列的暢銷書,而且,氣候小說作為一種圖書類別,它所涵蓋的內容將更加廣泛,不僅包括氣候改變,所有與導致氣候變暖有關的令人擔憂的問題都將被歸納到此類圖書中:人口爆炸、過度工業化、過度城市化,等等。(李同/編譯 )

气候小说新门类的升温

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_677e70100102uwqh.html ---------------------------------- http://ideacarbon.org/archives/22375 ------------------------------------- http://www.douban.com/group/topic/57757466/ ------------------------------- 气候小说新门类的升温(2014-07-09 21:35:52)转载▼标签: 出版数字出版文化 分类: 读书/思考 气候小说这个词成为了文学领域的热门词汇。气候活动家所推动的这一新文学门类的未来到底如何,气候小说和科幻小说不同在哪里? 气候小说这一新门类迅速的升温,很大程度上是因为其与气候变化的有机结合。早在2008年气候活动家,丹·布鲁姆(Dan Bloom [AT]email: danbloom@gmail.com )就提出了气候小说(CLI-FI)这一术语。气候活动家将气候小说视作一个“热门”的新流派,能够唤醒公众对全球变暖的危险意识。虽不能实际去拯救地球,他们希望感性的气候小说能比科学数据和推算文本更能激发人们的行动。根据《纽约时报》最近的报道,气候小说已在美国一些大学投入使用,旨在引发大学生对环境问题以及处理方式的关切。 包含气候变化内容的书籍有相当长的历史。早在1962年J.G.巴拉德(J.G. Ballard)就出版了《被淹没的世界》(The Drowned World)。英国与爱尔兰文学与环境研究协会主席艾德琳·约翰斯·普彻(Adeline Johns-Putra)教授预见到明朗的趋势,她告诉《金融时报》说,20世纪90年代以前只有“极少数的小说“把气候变化作为主题;但2006年以来,约150本书出版了气候变化相关内容,其中至少有50部将气候变化作为“中心议题”。 佐治亚技术研究所地球与大气科学学院主席同时也是美国科学家的朱迪斯·科瑞(Judith Curry)2012年在她粉丝众多的博客中提及了气候小说,美国国家公共电台(NPR)立即采访了她,媒体的大门打开,气候小说这个词在美国真正开始腾飞。所有主流纸媒开始跟进,将气候小说描绘成新的流派,各自给出了对其的定义。 虽然许多科幻小说纯粹是娱乐和臆想,但“经典”形式的科幻小说还是存在的,自赫伯特·乔治·威尔斯(H.G.Wells)始,随后还有奥威尔(Orwell)、赫胥黎(Huxley)和阿西莫夫(Asimov),这在文学层面不能忽视。 作家丹·布鲁姆(Dan Bloom)将“气候小说”作为自己的文学体裁,一直站在积极推行的前列。 究竟气候小说和科幻小说有什么不同?Cli-Fi (由一名专门写作气候小说的记者出资建立的展示气候小说的网站)作为推行气候小说的中坚力量对此有细致入微的观察并给出了答案——“气候小说不一定总要把场景设定在未来或者世界末日”。然而,他们认为气候小说的的确确是“推理的,充满创造性和奇思妙想的。它既主动又被动,而且有开放式的结局。” 推理性,文学,开放式结局,不总是世界末日……可以是任何类型的气候变化、变暖或变冷,在遥远的未来或不那么遥远的时间,甚至是现在发生的事情,就像芭芭拉·金索佛(Barbara Kingsolver)的小说《飞行性能》(Flight Behavior),讲述了气候变化引起数以百万计的帝王蝶入侵阿巴拉契亚山脉的故事。气候小说也可以有更广泛的范围,涉及生态灾难和全球性崩溃。 事实上,向亚马逊上传自己作品的作家在使用这些小说门类名称,快速搜索一下(2014年5月进行)就能看到该类别数量惊人的书目,其中生态灾难小说(7部),末日小说(366本),气候变化小说(653本,其中很多都是非小说),以及气候小说(741本)。当然,这些数字只能体现该体裁的重要性,因为这份列表并不是按照亚马逊的分类生成的。在所有这些门类中,气候小说在数量上成为了赢家,毫无疑问因为它短小精悍又引人入胜。 更重要的是,这种新门类的成功显然与其被媒体广泛津津乐道有关,而且最近的畅销书也往往是气候小说。出版气候小说的大牌作家不止芭芭拉·金索佛(Barbara Kingsolver)一位,还有《MaddAddam》作者玛格丽特·阿特伍德(Margaret Atwood)、《恐惧状态》(State of Fear)作者迈克尔·克莱顿(Michael Crichton)和《太阳能》(Solar)作者伊恩·麦克尤恩(Ian McEwan)。冉冉上升的新晋作者中也不乏成功的例子,值得注意的包含了丹尼尔·克莱姆(Daniel Kramb)的《从此开始》(From Here),纳撒尼尔·瑞驰(Nathaniel Rich)的《逼上梁山》(Odds Against Tomorrow)以及保罗·巴奇加卢比(Paolo Bacigalupi)的《曼谷的发条女孩》(The Windup Girl)(Knopf出版社已经买下了他的下一部小说)。 有了这么多人参与进来,气候小说的未来如何?前景无疑是积极的,随着时间的推移,全球变暖成为定局,气候小说很可能更为脱颖而出。到目前为止,还没有像奥威尔的《1984》或赫胥黎《美丽新世界》这样的伟大作品诞生,但毫无疑问这一天一定会到来。气候小说门类很可能将扩大并超出气候变化范畴,随着时间的推移,它可以涉及所有与全球气候变暖相关的其他令人担忧的趋势:人口爆炸、工业化、城市化等等。任何真正合时宜的小说都需要考虑所有这些趋势。但之后应该如何称呼它呢?大概气候小说是最好的名词,它容易记忆而且能代表探索未来的小说。从现实的意义上说,有些人所说的“社会现实主义”正是气候小说和科幻小说的不同之处。

Sunday, August 10, 2014

气候小说在行动字号

Sunday, August 10, 2014 气候小说在行动字号 气候小说在行动字号======================= 评论 邮件 纠错================ 2014-08-09 ==================== 来源:经济观察报================   李黎==============   当我们听到“气候小说”这个新分类的时候,脑海里第一会想到什么?《雪国列车》漫画里火车窗外严寒冰冻的世界,《后天》里被霜冻覆盖的自由女神像,还是《未来水世界》中的茫茫汪洋世间?伴随着全球变暖带给世界各地的极端天气出现得越来越频繁,以环境气候变化为主题的“气候小说”(cli-fi),这几年作为一种新型的类型文学正在美国涌现并畅销着。环境气候保护者甚至创造出了“气候小说”这一专门的名词。这一类型的小说通常以唤起公众对全球变暖危险性的认识为目的。在2014年7月29日的《纽约时报》上,几个专家再次就气候小说这个新类型文学展开专版讨论——有关气候变化的科幻小说和电影是否可以改变我们关于全球气候变化的应对方式。其实若是稍微留心,你会发现无论在文学界还是银幕上,人们对以气候为主线的故事已越来越关注。就像雨已经开始漫天落下,你的脑中会不断地涌现关于雨和伞的概念。==================   属于科幻小说吗,有何不同?科幻小说家韩松认为,气候小说不完全属于科幻,只不过目前出现的很大部分气候小说和科幻小说有重叠的范畴。有人把气候小说看作是科幻小说或者反乌托邦小说的一个子类,用比尔·查米迪斯的话来说就是:“本质上是一个由气候改变所摧毁的反面乌托邦世界。”它们通常和硬科幻类划在一起。 韩松提到了中国的一部气候小说——刘兴诗前几年出版的《喜马拉雅狂想》。刘兴诗老先生既是“硬科幻”类的作家,本身也是一位地质学家。他在书中提出的理念不完全是为故事而造,也是刘兴诗本人的一个怀疑性预言。在《喜马拉雅狂想》中,由于印度板块不停向北方西藏板块挤压,致使新第三纪犹存之古地中海消失,喜马拉雅山脉出现,并持续性增高,阻挡印度洋温暖潮湿气团进入山后。这致使了中国西部日趋干旱,河西走廊也变成了荒漠。倘若继续发展,大范围荒漠化将是不可回避的结果。两位23世纪的学者为了解决这一难题,回到古时楼兰的罗布泊、唐朝的青海腹地、汉朝的张掖古城等地考察,更穿越到公元2701年的喜马拉雅山前印度梅加拉亚邦考察……最终通过打通喜马拉雅山墙改变了这一灾变环境。==============   气候小说主要是以气候环境为主线,在2008年,一名环境气候保护激进分子 [DAN BLOOM] [丹·布鲁] 姆就创造出了“气候小说”(cli-fi)这个词。环境气候保护活动家们把气候小说,或者短篇的气候小说,看作是一种热门的新类型小说,这类小说的目的就是为了唤醒公众对全球变暖的危险性的认识。他们寄望于此类气候小说充满激情的叙事方式能够比枯燥的一串串科研数据更有效地促使人们尽快采取行动。正如《纽约时报》最近报道的,气候小说已经被美国一些大学用来吸引大学生们关注环境问题。=======================   然而正如韩松所说,气候小说并不完全是科幻范畴,也可以是纯文学,只要是以气候变化为故事的大背景和主线,都可以称之为气候小说。只不过目前出现在公众视野里为中国读者和观众熟悉的,大多属于科幻领域。除了近年出版的《喜马拉雅狂想》,韩松提到中国科幻小说的银河奖,这个在中国地位极高的文学奖第一届就颁给可以被划进气候小说领域的《勇士号冲向台风》,在上世纪七十年代末八十年代初,写的是中国探测器可以控制台风的故事。====   韩松说:“气候小说不仅限于科幻小说,中国前几年一直很盛行环境小说,主要是中国人提出来的这个概念,里面就很多有关气候的。气候小说应该是有环境小说的一个部分。环境小说也并不能说完全属于科幻。它跟科幻小说是交叉的。”哪怕是提供了一个气候背景,讲了一个纯文学或者是意识流的故事,也可以归类到气候小说吗?韩松说是的,但前提是气候一定是大背景或者是推动故事发展的决定性的因素,这样才算是气候小说。   之所以今天这么多人在探讨气候小说的概念范畴,因为这种界定的概念是重要的,韩松认为,这样就避免把很多不是写气候的小说归到其中去。比如很多中国历史小说,包括明代的一些帝王故事,认为中国历史上几次大危机都有气候变化的原因,气候大的变化导致了北方民族的入侵。比如是元朝和宋朝的几次气候变化,包括清朝,但这些就完全不属于气候小说的类型。   其实,把气候改变的影响设定在小说故事背景中已经有相当长的历史。比如1962年出版的 J.G.BALLARD 巴拉德的小说《被淹没的世界》(The Drowned World)。英国文学与环境研究协会主席艾德琳·约翰斯-普特拉教授在描述气候小说的发展趋势时说:“直到1990年代,还只有很少一部分小说把气候变化嵌入到故事背景中,但从2006年起,大约有150部和气候改变有关的小说印刷出版,其中至少有50本书是把气候改变作为中心主题。”   还有些人把气候小说看作一种完全自我独立的类别。英国《卫报》评论说,和科幻小说不同,气候小说聚焦于“一种迫在眉睫的急迫和严重的威胁而不是等待着去慢慢被发现”。按《基督教箴言报》的说法,气候小说差不多算是“文学”——言下之意科幻小说不是文学。许多科幻小说是纯粹的娱乐和逃避现实。   Climate Books -是一个推广气候小说这一概念的网站,由一家专门出版气候小说的小出版社出资资助,该网站的观点是:“气候小说的背景不一定总是设定在未来,也不总是启示录形式的预警。这个类型的文学应该拥有不羁的创意和创新性,既是对当前的反应又是前瞻性的,具有开放性结局的作品。”   这一新类型小说的成功很明显和它在媒体上被广泛讨论以及最近出版的气候小说通常都成为了畅销书有关。比如芭芭拉·金索佛的《飞行行为》(Flight Behavior),主要讲述由气候改变导致的美国东部阿帕拉契亚山脉数百万帝王蝶的入侵。一些大牌作家都已出版过气候小说,还有迈克尔·克里奇顿的《恐惧之国》(StateofFear)和伊恩·迈克埃文的《太阳能》(Solar)。还有刚进入这一领域正在追求成功的新作者,值得关注的有丹尼尔·克拉姆的《来自这里》(From Here)、纳撒尼尔·里奇的《迎战未来》(Odds Against Tomor-row)、保罗的 《终结者女孩》(The Windup Girl)。   气候小说日渐成为了学术研究的一个主题。哥本哈根大学的格里格斯·安德森最近在哲学博士学位论文中,探讨了小说和哲学中的全球变暖现象,分析了1977年到2014年间创作的40种不同的小说、短篇故事和电影,它们都把全球变暖作为了主题。安德森解析了气候小说是如何在公众中发挥作用的:它倾向于“夸大全球变暖所带来的后果,气候变化常常发生在一瞬间。气候小说的叙事中所描写的人物还能记得气候改变前的世界是什么样子的,虽然发生了巨变,但依然是以前他们所认识的那个世界   想象力有可能帮助我们找到气候变化的问题解决方案,随着时间的推移,全球变暖的持续,气候小说很有可能成为位居市场前列的畅销书,而且,气候小说作为一种图书类别,它所涵盖的内容将更加广泛,不仅包括气候改变,所有与导致气候变暖有关的令人担忧的问题都将被归纳到此类图书中:人口爆炸、过度工业化、过度城市化,等等。纽约时报关于气候小说的探讨中,牛津大学的SeánóHeigeartaigh认为好莱坞的全球变暖故事可能会误导大众。幸好cli-fi小说更加成熟可信。科学家 Heidi Cullen所说的那样:有关气候变化的个人故事可以改变人们的观念,让这些看上去高大上的问题更接地气。   (本篇图片均来自本报资料室)======   《迎战未来的几率》(Odds Against Tomorrow),主题是未来的纽约市被水淹没,成为水下城市之后人类该怎么生存。   加拿大女作家玛格丽特·阿特伍德(Margaret Atwood)的《洪荒年代》(The Year of Atwood),已出中文版。英国女作家丽兹·詹森(Liz Jensen)的《预见末日的女孩》(The Rapture),已有中文繁体字版英国作家伊恩·麦克尤恩(Ian McEwan)的《追日》(Solar),(由上海译文出版社出版),以从事气候变迁研究的科学家作为主角。美国女作家芭芭拉·金索弗(Barbara Kingsolver)的新作《飞行轨迹》(Flight Behaviour)中的故事就设在当今,女主角是对气候变迁一知半解的村妇,也并不预见未来的能力。,可以说是一部典型的文学小说,然而其中对气候变迁的探讨,却是十分认真的。《全球变暖的大骗局》:这部 BBC 电视拍拍摄的记录片采访了多位科学家,用大量证据否定了“人造全球气候变化”的说法,直指它为“当代最大的骗局”。影片指出:全球暖化的背后其实是一个由狂热的反工业化环保分子创造出来的高达数百亿美元的全球产业。《后天》:描绘了温室效应造成气候异变,地球陷入第二次冰河世纪的故事——一部灾难片的素质教育样板。它第一次真正引起了公众对温室效应所造成危害的反思。如果你准备走进戏院看《2012》,那不妨先看看它。《改变世界的六度》:国家地理频道在片中提出“六度理论”,认为六度的气温变化会引起后果不堪设想的灾害。全球野火和台风的数量也许会增加。某些地方的河川跟湖泊可能干涸,冰河也可能溶化。也有证据指出这种现象已经发生。

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Why Hollywood Has Embraced The Emerging ''Cli Fi'' Genre - An Oped by Danny Bloom




With films like "Noah" and "Into the Storm" -- and "Interstellar" coming in the late fall -- Hollywood has seen the handwriting on the wall and embraced the emerging new genre of "cli fi." And there's more to come, writes DANNY BLOOM


But while Hollywood and studio marketing people (and online social meda reporters covering new film releases) have welcomed cli fi into the fold, the entrenched powers in the literary world controlled by book editors in New York and London seem to be aloof to all this and show little interest in the rise of the cli fi genre term.

I am not sure why, but maybe it has to do with literary critics and book section editors feeling that literature is a ''sacred calling'' and only the all-powerful editors -- as ''gatekeepers'' -- can decide what's real and what's not in the literary world. So be it.

The more I thought about the disconnect between the literary world of the book industry compared with the open arms in Hollywood, the more I began to realize that the print novel is basically dead -- in the rising waters of global warming -- and has little power anymore to influence people or impact society. It's just a bunch of gatekeepers and the gatekeepers don't seem to care about climate change. They have their own agendas. Like a long liquid lunch at the Four Seasons. Like being cool and trendy and avantgarde and the like. Climate change is apparently not on the menu at the hip restaurants where they dine in Manhattan and London.

So I feel that the real power of cli fi to change the world, to wake people up lies in Hollywood and world cinema, indie cinema as well. And Hollywood and the media covering Hollywood, much more than the literary gatekeepers in New York and London and Washington and Los Angeles, are getting the cli fi message much better and much more directly than the print media gatekeepers.

A sea change is happening: Hollywood and the media covering Hollywood have really embraced cli fi and that is where the real wake-up call power of public awareness now lies.


Novels about climate change still will have a place in our culture but a very limited one, and one getting smaller day by day in this digital world of 500 channels and multiple YouTube distractions. Speculative fiction and eco-fiction novels still find readers. Look at Margaret Atwood; look at Barbara Kingsolver

I've noticed this sea change as Hollywood directors and PR mavens have recently become much more with it, in terms of "getting" the cli fi message. When TIME magazine did a three-page cli fi spread on summer cli fi movies in its May 19, 2014 issue what went worldwide, I began to notice the way the print and online media were handling the new, mushrooming cli fi genre.

After the TIME article by Lily Rothman came out, the New York Times ''Room for Debate'' forum picked up the Hollywood angle for cli fi movies, assigning academics and experts to talk about films such as "Snowpiercer" and "Into the Storm" and the upcoming "Interstellar."

So I came to realize that Hollywood is where cli fi can have its biggest impact, since print novels are dead in the water (see above) and the few that do get published by the major publishers are reviewed only by the gatekeepers at the New York Times and the Guardian in London.

I see a big future of cli fi movies in Hollywood. Big.

Look around in the social media world: From TIME to the New York Times, from Mashable's Andrew Freedman to the New York Post's Page Six gossip column, there has been more ink about Hollywood and cli fi than anywhere else.


The Big Six book industry is blind to cli fi. Books are dying. Few people read anymore, on a large scale. Novels have little impact anymore. Movies reign supreme, and this is where I see cli fi blooming now: in Hollywood. Hollywood players get it, the Hollywood media gets it, and books are dead and movies rule the day now. Publishers Row is dithering. London, too.

So I am following my gut instinct and my media radar and hoping to see cli fi genre turn into a real bonanza in the realm of Hollywood film directors and producers and writers. There is a future for cli fi in Hollywood.

Movie directors get it and they want to wake up the world. And make a little spare change along the way, sure. It's a business. So cli fi has found its true home not on Publishers Row in Manhattan but in Hollywood, and just in time. And it's good, this is a good development.

Cinema has the power to impact the world over important issues of climate change and global warming. Novels have no such power anymore. Print is dying, cinema is alive!

Of course, speculative fiction novels and eco-fiction novels still have a place in our culture, and many of these novels will be adapted as screenplays and see the light of day as popular movies, so writers still have a role to play in all this.

As a climate activist and PR guy, I take the cli fi genre very seriously, and I now see that Hollywood is where cli fi belongs, front and center.

Do the math: movies reach millions. Novels reach 3000 people, if that many.

Therefore: cli fi has come to Hollywood and its about time.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Interview With Dan Bloom on Why Hollywood Has Embraced ''Cli Fi'' While the Literary World in New York and London has Gatekeeped it

>Question: Recently, Dan, you have been changing your focus away from cli fi novels and their acceptance in the literary world to a new focus on the power of cli fi to impact Hollywood movies and therefore impact the world. Can you explain this change in focus?



Dan Bloom: Yes, glad to. It seems that the entrenched powers in the literary world controlled by book editors and book reviewers at such publications as Publishers Weekly (Jim Milliot), The Washington Post Bookworld (Ron Charles), The Los Angeles Times Book Section (Carolyn Kellogg, Hector Tobar, David Ulin), the New York Times (Pamela Paul, Dwight Garner, Peter Lattman, Alexandra Alter), the Guardian (Claire Armitstead, Alison Flood) and the Financial Times (Pilita Clark) simply are not interested in the rise of the cli fi genre term among novelists and short story writers and seem to be bent on keeping the cli fi term out of their pages altogether. I am not sure why, but maybe it has to do with literary critics and book section editors feeling that literature is a sacred calling and only these editors -- as gatekeepers -- can decide what's real and what's not in the literary world. So be it. They are the gatekeepers and they are apparently not interersted in the rise of cli fi as a literary genre term.-------------------


Question: So?

Dan Bloom: So the more I thought about it with my PR team, in terms of our PR efforts as climate activists promoting cli fi as a wake up call genre, not a mere literary genre to pick apart and debate, the more I began to realize that the print novel is basically dead [in the rising waters of AGW] and has nt power anymore to influence people or impact society. It's just a bunch of gatekeepers and the gatekeepers don't care. They have their own agendas. Like being cool and trendy and avantgarde and the like. Climate change is not on the menu at the hip restaurants where they dine.


  Question: And?

So I feel that in fact the real power of cli fi to change the world, to wake people up lies in Hollywood and world cinema, indie cinema as well. And Hollywood and the media covering Hollywood, much more than the entrenched literary world gatekeepers in New York and London and Washington and Los Angeles, are getting the cli fi message much better and much more directly than the print media gatekeepers.

Hollywood and the media covering Hollywood has really embraced cli fi and that is where the real power now lies I feel.

Novels about climate change still will have a place in our culture but a very limited one, and one getting smaller day by day in this digital world of 500 channels and multiple distractions. Speculative fiction and eco-fiction still find readers. Look at Margaret Atwood! Look at Nat Rich! Like at Ian McEwan! Look at Barbara Kingsolver.

So I noticed that in fact Hollywood was much more with it, in terms of "getting" the cli fi message. When TIME magazine did a big cli fi spread on summer cli fi movies in its May 19, 2014 issue what went worldwide with its readership, I noticed a sea change in the way the media was handling the new, mushrooming cli fi genre. After the TIME article by Lily Rothman, who took the time to interview me for her story by telephone from New York, the New York Times Room for Debate picked up the Hollywood angle for cli fi movies, talking about films such as SNOWPIERCER and INTO THE STORM, GODZILLA and NOAH and INTERSTELLAR. So I came to realize that Hollywood is where cli fi can have its biggest impact, since print novels are dead in the water (see above) and the few that do get published by the major publishers are reviewed only by the gatekeepers at the Times and the Post and the LAT and the Guardian.
Gatekeepers working for their own ''gatekeepers''. That is to say their paymasters.



  QUESTION: Do you think the future of cli fi lies in Hollywood?

DAN BLOOM: Yes, definitely. From Mashable's Andrew Freedman to the New York Post's PAGE SIX gossip column, there was more ink about Hollywood and cli fi than anywhere else.

The print novels industry is blind to cli fi. Books are dying. Few people read anymore, on a large scale. Novels have little impact anymore. Movies reign supreme, and this is where I want to take the cli fi genre now: Hollywood. Hollywood players get it, Hollywood media gets it, and even print media gets that books are dead and movies rule the day now.

So I am following my gut instinct and my media radar and moving the cli fi genre into the realm of Hollywood film directors and producers and writers. There is a future for cli fi in Hollywood. There is no future for cli fi in novels. The gatekeepers won't let it in, and the gatekeepers don't want to be social activists or God forbid, climate acitivists!

Movie directors get it and they want to change the world. So that's where cli fi has found its true home. And it's good, this is a good development. I plan now to focus my PR campaigns for cli fi in the film world, and not just in the USA and but worldwide too. Cinema has the power to impact the world over important issues of climate change and global warming. Novels have no such power anymore. Sad, but true.

And with the gatekeepers busy gatekeeping, speculative fiction novels and eco-fiction novels still have a place there, though, and good novelists will find readers in those genres. They won't find readers in the cli fi literary genre because the gatekeepers won't let them in. So Hollywood is where it's at.

  QUESTION: You're serious, aren't you?

Dan Bloom: Very serious. You know me, I take the cli fi genre very seriously, and I am committed to finding the best home for it. Hollywood is where cli fi belongs. The literary world does not care, and won't let the people in who do care. Do the math: movies reach millions. Novels reach 3000 people, if that many. And the liteary gatekeepers make sure that nobody gets in they don't approve of first.

Question: Thanks for your time and thoughts here, Dan.

Dan Bloom: Thank you for seeing where all this is leading.

THE CLIFFIES - an annual film awards event for best ''cli fi'' movies of the year

THE CLIFFIES will be awarded in March 2015. Nominations welcome here in comments or by email for best movie, best director, best actors, best set design, best costumes, best music, best PR/marketing campaign =========================================================================================================================================================== Seán Ó Heigeartaigh, academic project manager at the University of Oxford's Future of Humanity Institute, part of the Oxford Martin School, writes in a NYT oped headlined ''Hollywood Global Warming Dramas Can Start an International Conversation" ------------------------------------------------ ''Science fiction prepares us for thinking about the future: many of the sciences and technologies we take for granted today were predicted well ahead of time in sci-fi stories. It can help us imagine deeply changed worlds — like the technology-empowered surveillance state of George Orwell’s "1984" that most of us would want to avoid, or the more optimistic post-scarcity future of Star Trek, where principles of equality are deeply engrained. ==================================== Thankfully, recent cli-fi novels have been much more sophisticated and rooted in science. They focus on the more subtle, early impacts of climate change (as in Barbara Kingsolver's "Flight Behavior" and Saci Lloyd's "The Carbon Diaries 2015"), on the lives of scientists, activists and others working on climate-related challenges (as in Ian McEwan's "Solar" and Nathaniel Rich's "Odds Against Tomorrow"), or on how life will change for ordinary people in the future as the effects of climate change slowly and relentlessly become more severe (as in Hamish MacDonald's "Finitude" or Paolo Bacigalupi's "The Windup Girl.")========================================= In the end, the greatest contribution of this [new emerging Hollywood genre] may be to cause us to care. Great writing [and movie making] draws us into the lives and circumstances of people we will never, ever meet. We know on an intellectual level that we are the caretakers of the world our great-grandchildren will inherit, a world that will be affected by our present-day actions or inactions. However, it’s another thing to care enough to change our actions now, and to pressure our governments and corporations to do the same. If cli-fi causes us to think both with our heads and our hearts about our responsibility to future generations, it may yet change the world.''