Difference between revisions of "2007-08 ASM Star Trek (1965-2005)"

Latest revision as of 15:40, 13 March 2015

• Time: We 4-6 pm
• Place: A10 1-121a
• Contact: Olaf Simons

Star Trek is far more than a TV-series. It is a cultural phenomenon with enormous ramifications marked by substantial plot developments, and it is a powerful piece of fiction due to its wide range of cultural, philosophical, aesthetic and political allusions. The original series became a cult classic, the Star Trek universe it created does in retrospect bridge generations and political gaps such as the Cold War with its East/West-confrontation (mirrored within the series by disruptions of original interstellar confrontations).

The Seminar will deal with the following topics. If you have plans for seminar papers list them bellow. (Discuss the present course outline on the course's discussion page if you feel you cannot see under which heading your topic could appear).

Do mention individual episodes (refer to english wikipedia - you find links bellow) wherever you feel that this is a sequence we must deal with under the given headline (I am not so well informed about the later sequels):

Oct 24 2007: Brainstorming

Oct 31 2007: The Star Trek Universe I: The Original Series (1966–1969)

Preparation:

• Production background
• The Cage, the unsuccessful pilot - filmed in November-December 1964, but not broadcast on television in its complete form until 1988.
• The Man Trap, aired on Thursday, September 8, 1966.

Topics to discuss:

• Captain Kirk vs. Captain Pike - types, roles, heroism
• Women
• Spock I and Spock II

Possible topics of Seminar papers:

• Comparison of The Cage - the original pilot - and and The Menagerie pts. 1-2 aired November 17 and November 24, 1966.
• The composition of a successful team - a seminar paper which might take a special look at Mirror, Mirror broadcast on October 6, 1967 - where we get a positive and a negative Enterprise crew.

Nov 10, 2007: The Star Trek Night - The Movies

As I have to disappoint you on Wed 7: a night at my place (Tannenkampstr. 12) - we'll try to see as many of the movies as possible, eat and drink wine (you might provide the latter).

We might begin around 6pm - those who will have to arrive later can do so and join us any time - it will probably be a long night. --Olaf Simons 21:08, 6 November 2007 (CET)

Nov 14, 2007: The Star Trek Universe II: Next Generation (1987–1994) and Deep Space Nine (1993–1999)

The Sequels The Next Generation (1987–1994) and Deep Space Nine (1993–1999). Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.

Next Generation

Hi everybody! Since we were not able to present all the information of our presentation in the session, here are some points that might be interesting.

Info about the series

• First episode: 1987 in the US

• 7 seasons, 176 episodes

• It was longer on screen than TOS (80 episodes – 176 episodes)

• Encounter at Farpoint (the pilot): received by 94 % of all households in the US

• Later still very successful, 1st place of the TV series (18-49 years)

=> Advertisement

=> 1 Mio $ per episode

=> Stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Hawkins, Dwight Schulz (A-Team) etc. acted in some of the episodes

Content:

• Single episodes with an action which is self-explanatory

o But: some episodes refer to the content of other episodes, e.g. Season 3, “The best of both worlds”, season 7, “Bloodlines”

• 100 years later

• Different characters

• Some episodes (e.g. the second episode) have similar plots as episodes of TOS or refer directly to them

• Sometimes visits from characters of the old Enterprise

Introduction of the main characters

• Picard: Captain of the new Enterprise, different to Kirk, strictly sticks to the Prime Directive, total loyalty to his crew, dislikes children, develops to a more sympathetic man during the series

• Riker: 1st Commander, love affairs, attractive to female characters, sympathetic

• Data: 2nd Commander, the only Android of the Starfleet, counterpart to Spock (e.g. does not understand any sarcasm), asks for definitions, tries to be human

• Troi: Counsellor, Beta Zoid, feelings/emotions, very attractive, later she is the only woman on the bridge

• Dr. Crusher: Doctor, family values, “mother” of the crew, together with Troi: more female power on the ship than in TOS

• Worf: Lieutenant Commander, Klingon, high moral Klingon values, later chief security officer, integrated, sympathetic, represents action and strength on the Enterprise

• LaForge: Lieutenant Commander, later chief engineer

Family

• families on board who are being evacuated (in the pilot)

• Wesley: child becomes a main character

• Picard dislikes children

• Throughout the series: the crew appears more and more like a family

=> Riker refuses to ship commands several times to stay with the crew of the enterprise

=> Crusher as mother

• Other family-topics in the series:

=> Worf + son

=> Data + daughter

=> Picard + son

In The Next Generation, which was produced at the end of the 1980s, and the beginning of the 1990s, the family as a topic has been used more often than in TOS of the 60s.

Other references to our reality:

They try to conserve the earthly culture, they drink Earl Grey tea, they read and cite James Joyce, Shakespeare, and Sherlock Holmes, they listen to classical music and talk of the 80s and 90s as the good old times.

Question: The crew of the Enterprise presents our reality in a positive way. What kind of message does the producer convey?

Hi folks, it would be nice, if you watch the first two episodes ("The Emissary pt.1 &2") of DS9 as a preparation for the Wednesday session. They should be available at the Mediathek... If you want to see more episodes, feel free to watch some post-season-three stuff, because the plot dramatically changed then. Watch out for topics like Religion, Interpersonal conflicts and differences between DS9 and other Star Trek stuff...Manuel Saralidis 14:58, 12 November 2007 (CET)

Hello, just to remind you... I put the Deep Space Nine Introduction slides and summary as a PDF on StudIP where you can download them... Cheers... Manuel Saralidis 22:05, 29 November 2007 (CET)

Nov 21, 2007: The Star Trek Universe III: Voyager (1995–2001) and Enterprise (2001–2005)

The Sequels Voyager (1995–2001) and Enterprise (2001–2005) same question: Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations. ´

Voyager Interesting subjects could be that of terrorism, fear of communism (as the Borg play an important role in voyager), Human values, the Prime Directive, a parallel Universe (Species 8472), Collaboration of species that are enemies but that become allies when a species more powerful than them appears,

Also: Female positions

- Voyager is the first of all Star Trek Series, that has a female Captain! 
- Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres is the first Chief Engineer on board of a Star Trek Vessel

Also: The Maquis rebellion

Dear Participants. I put the presentation on "Voyager" on Stud IP under "Dateien"

Ann-Kathrin Uden

Nov 28, 2007: God in a World of Miracles - Star Trek and Religion

Is there a God out there? What is the Federation's religion? None or that of a secular state granting religious freedom? Why don't we have Arabs on board of the Star Trek vessels? How do the Federation's travelers react when confronted with religions out there?

I would like to write a paper on Star Trek and Religion. As i haven't read any literature yet, my ideas are still pretty general. But mainly I think i will be dealing with questions like: what view on religion and belief is conveyed in Star Trek (pro or con religion, atheist?) and HOW is it conveyed? This could probably be based on DS 9 and the whole "wormhole aliens vs. phrophets (bajoranian belief)" issue. (Stephan Schmidt 14:16, 7 November 2007 (CET))

Hey. I just skipped through some webpages to find pieces of information about the religious content in Star Trek and its spin-offs. Here are some webpages that deal with religion. While the majority is fan-made, others document the topic from a more objective point of view.

• http://www.star-trek-religionen.de/index1.htm
• http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/religion.htm
• http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Human_religion
• http://www.newstrekker.com/archiv/startrek_02_03.htm
• http://www.ibka.org/node/603
  • and here the speech: http://ibka.org/en/files/Braga.mp3

Just take a look Tobias Penski 22:10, 21 November 2007 (CET)

TOS on Religion

• Who Mourns for Adonais, September 22, 1967
• The Apple, October 13, 1967
• For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, November 8, 1968

Movies

• The Final Frontier, 1989

Literature

• Ros S. Kraemer, "Is there a God in the Universe?", in Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. (eds.), Religions of Star Trek. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001, p.15-56 link

Dec 5, 2007: Technotopia

Star Trek is (from warp-drives to beaming facilities) full of inventions we are still waiting for - and peculiarly lacking others we developed instead (like those mobile phones we use for normal conversations rather than short commands). It is said to have motivated research - yet it is too simple to see it as a simple glorification of technological progress...

• Alan Shapiro, Star Trek. Technoloies of Disappearance (2004)
• [DS9 Special Episode on with religious emphasis

• The Way to Eden Spock makes friends with a sect of hippies.

Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities

Debate with Alan N. Shapiro. Course reading: Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek: Technologies of disappearance. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004.

Summary: Chapter Two "THE LAST COMPUTER" (John Müller)

In chapter two, “The Last Computer“, Shapiro talks about computers and their functions/capabilities in the 23rd century. In a second step, he compares those future computers to our late 20th century computer technology and draws some interesting conclusions as far as own perception is concerned. In order to support his point, Shapiro takes a look at two episodes from TOS (“A Taste Of Armageddon” [Ep. 23] and “The Ultimate Computer” [Ep. 53]).

In “A Taste Of Armageddon” there are two computers which are war with one another, or, in other words, there are two neighboring planets which have been at war for centuries, but, instead of waging a real war with real weapons, they have chosen to let computers simulate their war for them. The computers on both worlds are linked and independently launch attacks on each other. But even though the fighting remains in the realms of virtual reality, the consequences do not: The perfection of this war is taken so far that both computers calculate damage and casualties on their home worlds and force the people who are registered as victims in the simulation to also become victims in real life. Once a citizen is “killed” in the simulation through a hostile attack, he/she has to report to a “disintegration machine” and then vanish in order to obey to the rules of the simulated computer-war.

Apart from the moral implications of this virtual war and the stance Kirk and his crew take towards it (needless to say the computers are dismantled in the end and the warring parties start real peace negotiations for the first time), Shapiro compares the computer-war with our late 20th century reality and the role computers play in it. He uses the example of the 1991 Gulf War and, citing philosopher Boudrillard and his works, Shapiro states that the allied actions taken against dictator Hussein are not too different from the computer-war displayed in “A Taste Of Armageddon”. Before even one missile was launched in the Gulf region, hundreds of military strategists were “endlessly analyzing scenarios” (p. 87) and the many casualties they foresaw in their simulated attacks became to be viewed as inescapable losses that served a greater cause. “Their deaths are pre-calculated. They are ‘collateral damage’” (p. 87). Besides this cold and “mechanical” view at the lives of innocent citizens, the Gulf War and the computer war in the TOS episode have one more thing in common: Like with the two computers in the episode there hardly was any “real” encounter between the two warring parties in the Gulf War: For the far more technologically advanced allied forces the war was won in advance in realm of simulations, for the far less advanced Iraqi soldiers the war had already been lost before it fully broke out at all. In Shapiro’s opinion the same logic also works for the “war on terrorism”: The American idea of the preemptive strike against anyone who might support or become an ally to Al-Qaida or the even more elusive concept of the “axis of evil” show that, at the beginning of the 21st century, US military operations are more and more withdrawn into the realm of calculations and probability, where a “potential attacker and enemy [...] exists as informational entity or statistical propensity, endlessly speculated on and reported in the virtual realm of the media” (p. 88).

In the second episode, “The Ultimate Computer” the TOS crew is once again faced with a situation not unlike the one described above: An all-new computer, “M-5” designed to be capable of replacing an entire starship crew, is to be installed and tested aboard the Enterprise by its creator, the brilliant but arrogant Dr. Daystrom. During the test the “M-5” takes over for the humans and then performs a variety of standard procedures, including both scientific and strategic operations – which at first work well. During the strategic drill, however, the “M-5” mistakes an unarmed and unmanned freighter for a real enemy and destroys it. Due to the fact that, for some reason, the computer cannot be switched off at that point, things start to turn for the worst: The computer assumes complete control over all of the ship’s systems, displays an arrogant and superior “personality” (not unlike that of its creator) and then attacks the four sister ships of the Enterprise which had been gathered for the simulated drill. After the “M-5” has almost destroyed the ships and many lives have been lost, Captain Kirk finally has a talk with the resilient piece of machinery. Convinced that it is the “ultimate achievement in computer evolution” (p. 93) the “M-5” believes that it must survive by all means in order to be able to protect man. Kirk finally manages it to convince the “M-5” that it has already committed murder, and, by doing so, it has lost its rights to survive. The “M-5” eventually sees the logic in Kirk’s words and, in an act of self-punishment, destroys itself.

“The Ultimate Computer” deals with the human fear to one day be replaced and/or threatened by super-intelligent computers that exceed human capacities by far. Shapiro states that in TOS there generally was a rather negative attitude towards super-intelligent computers (be it false-god-computers like Vaal in “The Apple“ and the Oracle in “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky” or be it the superior machines like M-5 in “The Ultimate Computer” and Nomad in “The Changeling”). He points out, however, that this fear of being outwitted and replaced one day only “deters us from the fact that we are already computerized (or deeply enmeshed with digital technology)” (p. 94). Despite the fact that his thesis makes sense to some extent (i.e. Internet, cell phones, computer games etc.) he fails to give the reader some clear cut examples to support his idea. I can only guess that it has something to do with the digital and computerized world we live in today. However, his point (if there is any) remains much more elusive than with the comparison between the Gulf War(s) and the computer war – which makes a lot of sense and, in my opinion, is a very interesting way of looking at post-modern (and western) warfare.

Summary: Chapter three “The Transporter” [How the Transporter “Really Works”]

Episode serving as an example: “The Enemy Within”

(written by Arne Poller)

On a routine geological survey on the planet Alpha 177 the landing party has discovered a doglike creature. A member of the crew gets injured and yellow stains from a magnetic ore are all over his clothes. Probably those are interrupting the beaming process when he tries to beam back up. After doubts whether the transporter machinery is safe Captain Kirk beams up and reappears with a weakened look. While Scotty helps the ‘weak’ Kirk he leaves the Transporter Room unattended. A second ‘savage looking’ Kirk appears in the Room. It turns out that an accident in the transporting process has caused the rematerialisation of a ‘Weak Kirk’ and an ‘Evil Kirk’. While ‘Weak Kirk’ rests in his room ‘Evil Kirk’ walks around within the ship and is doing silly things (grabs Dr. McCoy by the scruff, seizes Yeoman Rand fiercely by the shoulder…). At the same time Scotty has figured out that a ‘complete breakdown’ of the operational condition of the transporter has taken place. After Captain Kirk was beamed aboard they tried to beam up the doglike creature with the result of having nonidentical twins. One is gentle and timid, the other is widely agitated and violent. Afraid of the consequences they don’t dare to beam up the rest of the crew. That leaves the landing crew stranded on the planet with the life-threatening prospect of an oncoming freezing nightfall. After interviewing ‘Weak Kirk’ Spock realizes that there must be an imposter aboard the ship. Spock and McCoy hypothesize that ‘Weak Kirk’ is lacking his negative side, which, when ‘properly controlled and disciplined’, endow the Captain with his special ability to command a starship. They catch ‘Evil Kirk’ on one of the lower decks. “I have to take him back inside myself” ‘Weak Kirk’ recognizes. “I can’t survive without him.” As Scotty gets the system up and running they first try a test. The two duplicate doglike creatures are send through. Out of the two only one reappears which is dead. The creature was rejoint into a single being, it did not outlive the shock of reunification due to its fear. Finally the duplicate Kirk’s have to take the risk in order to safe the stranded crew. They hope that human intelligence disciplining his trepidation will make a difference. As they get ready to energize, ‘Weak Kirk’ smiles to Spock, Bones, and Scotty, signalling that he has no fear. Finally the ‘real Kirk’ reappears and the stranded crew will be rescued, too.

Shapiro argues that “the mishap of the transporter, the Holodeck, or warp speed is emphasized on Star Trek above the normal operation of the system. ‘Evil Kirk’ is the intrinsic accident that belongs by necessity to the transporter. Every technology has both a rational purpose and a build-in accident ‘waiting to happen’.” Created by Roddenberry as a convenient way of saving money, Star Trek expresses its profound ambivalence towards the technology of the transporter. Following Shapiro the trickery of technology rouses the principle of evil, of the vital necessity of evil for the survival of good. ‘Evil Kirk’ is a required and integral portion of Captain Kirk. “The deep-rooted accident of the duplicate Kirk turns a questioning spotlight on the ‘essence’ of the transporter, which is the absolutist phantasmagoria of total knowledge of a person captured in a digital pattern image or ‘quantum physics’ snapshot of their subatomic particles.” Shapiro asks if techno-scientific enthusiasm truly is Star Trek’s worldview.

How the Transporter “Really works”

Over the decades there was a paradigm shift in Star Trek’s beaming technology and how it works.

The original notion: Dematerialization – rematerialization, matter-to-energy conversion and back to physical transporter.

Digital transporter: The concept of blueprint formula-like, cloning – or information-based digital transporter.

Quantum teleporter: The idea of ‘entangled photon pairs’ (already been built experimentally by physicists for light particle ‘passengers’.

[For exact function look at Shapiro p.102 l.5]

“The newer postmodernist digital transporter and hypermodernist quantum teleporter gesture towards a paradigm shift in the predominant definition of what it means to be human. Within this posthuman paradigm, it is conceded that a copy of myself, either created from the same model informational digital pattern or emanating from an initiatory quantum mechanical techno-scientific coupled entanglement, is identical to me.”

Summary: Chapter Six Wormholes

In chapter six Shapiro discusses wormholes in Star Trek and general SF as well as the scientific practicability of wormholes in reality. Firstly, he gives a broad overview on the DS9 pilot Emissary that is the basis of his discussion. By doing so, he stresses Commander Sisko's encounter with the wormhole aliens that in Shapiro's words, ultimately leads to a “true symbolic exchange between Commander Sisko and the wormhole aliens […] (p. 200)”.

Secondly, he begins his discussion on the physics of wormholes by commenting publications dealing with Star Trek technologies such as Lawrence M. Krauss' The Physics of Star Trek. In opinion those publications endorse Star Trek's key technologies in order to satisfy the fanbase and at the same time they refer to pataphysical praticability - that is, some sort of philisophical physics. Furthermore, Shapiro brings to light that in many papers on the subject wormholes are regarded as time travel devices (p. 202). Especially, in Voyager and DS9 beaming and wormholes are combined in order to travel in time as it is shown in the episodes Trials and Tribble-ations and Eye of the Needle. Technically, time travel scenarios are created with digital recomposition, set reconstruction, frame-by-frame shadow masking and the likes.

Looking at SF film in general Shapiro points out that many film makers and writers have been obsessed with time travel stories and parallel dimensions for decades (see Dr. Who, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, 12 Monkeys, Back to the Future etc.). And often they pursued the psychological goal to exterminate the "radical otherness of history and other cultures, to short-circuit the difficult course of mourning, to meet up with none other than myself (yourself ?) (p. 202)"

Moreover, he explains this psychological goal by outlining the scientific works of so-called philosopher physicists like Richard Feynman who have dealt with wormholes and time travel on a scientific level refering to the frontier possibilities of the laws of physics (Einstein's theories of 1905 and 1915). As he further emphasizes the development of time travel pataphysics up to the 1970s and 80s, Shaphiro argues if these theories cannot be held up in a real world context, even if they seem plausible in generic SF settings (p. 211).

Lastly, leaving all scientific theories on time travel and wormholes behind, Shaphiro poses the question if time travel in Star Trek rather presupposes a specific human notion of time: One example of this is the idea implicit in the "block universe model" of spacetime that the future is already "out there" or already exists. This is the future-orientation of time in the statistical worldview, or the the future's simulation. It is opposed to the existential view that the future is yet to be decided. The whish for time travel to the past is another, complementary component of the human and hyper-real notion of time. (p. 213) --Karsten Sill 15:42, 11 December 2007 (CET)

Summary: Chapter Eight " Android Data" (Hanno Jansen)

Chapter eight deals with android beings in movies and literature. Shapiro explains how the character of Data in TNG was developed and which purpose androids in general and especially Lt. Data serve on a meta level. He does so by refering to three chosen episodes of The Next Generation. The following links lead to the summaries of the mentioned episodes.

1.Datalore [1] (p.250) 2.The Measure of a Man [2] (p.268) 3.The Offspring [3] (p.278)

The idea of a humanoid android in search of his creator, striving to become human was first used by Gene Roddenberry in the TV-movie "The Questor Tapes" (1974). It was planned as the pilot of a television series but due to differences between Roddenberry and both Universal and NBC canceled before an episode was produced. After the original show was canceled, Roddenberry planed to bring back Star Trek as a prime time TV show with fresh episodes. Star Trek Phase II should reunite the old cast exept Nimoy who refused to partake. His character was replaced by the "full Vulcan" Lt. Xon. Xon, having no human emotions, should always struggle to simulate human traits. The pilot of this series was never made but contentwise resumed in the first Star Trek movie. Lt. Data is the readoption and mixture of Xon and the Questor.

Shapiro compares different Science Fiction stories to show two main categories of androids. "Either it is a question of androids attaining human-like characteristics, and therefore accepting to have as their goal to become equivalent to humans. Or it is about androids exceeding human intelligence and skillfulness, and therefore becoming an ominous menace to humanity as they seek to dominate us. Never is it about humans and androids co-existing in difference or otherness" (p. 255)

Using "Blade Runner" as well as "The Measure of a Man" as examples, Shapiro shows the difficulty of categorizing androids that closely resemble us. The question is raised what defines a lifeform as such. Is it self awareness, autopoiesis or the coupling of perception and action? In Blade Runner the comparison of android and human even goes as far as seeing a human as a "meat machine" replicating itself by replicating everything around him over and over again with just minor changes.

According to Shapiro, androids like Data therefore serve as a mirror to explore ourselves. "Human nature and the definition of the human are never fixed. This is why the android can be an anamorphic mirror to us, in the sense of enabling the maker to see elements of his true appearance of which he was not aware, and in the sense of inducing an actual transformation in us." (p. 261)

In "Android Data" Shapiro picks up a subject that is dealt with in many Star Trek episodes throughout all series. What is the reality of existence? or What makes us human? To do so he touches many different subjects, from sociological and philosophical approaches (J.Baudrillard p.259/ R. Hanley p.274) to android epistemology dealing with the creation of A.I..(p. 261)

Interestingly, Shapiro gives us information on why he thinks Star Trek is so successful. "The discourse of "hyper-rational skepticism" is one pole of the operational duality- between modernist orthodox scientific model and postmodernist fandom hyper-reality - that the Star Trek gravy train rides on." (p.267)

He ends this chapter by telling us how to evaluate Star Trek. "Star Trek is a movement of the real that has actively changed the world and knowledge. It has already destabilized and transformed all of these sciences. To grasp this shaking of the ground beneath our feet, we must commit ourselves to internal readings of stories, characters and technologies. We must search for their inner logic and ask how they operate in their original context." ( p. 286)

Dec 19, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek I: From the United States of America to the Federation

• What happened between 1966 and the year 2300?
• A culture that does not (want to) rely on imperialism, technical superiority or the strength of its capitalism - and a winner even though.

Jan 9, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek II: Power on Board

• Power on board: Collisions of interests, personal loyalty and professional obedience
• Power on a universal scale: Star ship vs. Federation
• Different races
• Gender politics

Show suggestions:

• TOS: Mirror Mirror, October 6, 1967
• TOS: Turnabout Intruder, June 3, 1969
• TNG: Pen Pals, May 1, 1989
• Voyager: Worst Case scenario A holodeck program simulates a maquis mutiny.

Jan 16, 2008: Is the "Prime Directive" the prime directive?

What are the real ideals of the Start Trek Universe?

Jan 23, 2008: Genres: What can happen in the Star Trek universe and what cannot?

• The original shows were not really free when it came to the way of how stories had to be told. The episode had to be over within 45 minutes, it had to offer a problem and a solution. We shall look at generic questions and narratology: What kinds of episodes existed (from comedy to drama), what perspectives do we get on the plotlines? How did the art of story telling evolve from TOS to DS9?
• Is Star Trek a Utopian series? What is Science Fiction compared to Fantasy? What otions within the genre does the Star Trek universe realise?

Show suggestions:

• TOS Shore Leave (1x17), 29th, Dec 1966
• TNG The Big Goodbye (1x12), 11th, Jan 1988
• (TOS Bread and Circuses (2x14), 15th, March 1968)

• we will focus on The Big Goodbye and Shore Leave in terms of virtual realities (holodeck etc.) and episodes that may scratch generic boundaries
• for the second part of the discussion please concentrated on the episodes from the various episodes and try to think about the differences between the series (TOS, TNG... etc.)

For more information on the topic and my presentation take a look at my user page --Karsten Sill 11:37, 14 January 2008 (CET)

• Uploaded the presentation on StudIP

Jan 30, 2008: The Fan World

• On the interaction between the Star Trek Universe and its fan community.
• Startrek and kids - a special look on children and adolescents in the Star Trek universe

• Star Trek: New Voyages. A "sequel" to TOS with the same characters (albeit new actors) - how do fans continue the universe in movie? Star Trek: New Voyages

DOWNLOADS of the shows can be found here which links to multiple sites with the shows in multiple formats, whatever fits. I would suggest watching into the pilot, show 1, and/or show 2.

• For other movie projects cf. Fan Film at Memory Alpha or Extended Star Trek Wiki for more FanFiction projects - sadly without the interconnectivity of episodes of "canonical" shows and movies.

Feb 5, 2008: A Look Back on our Seminar

Gemeinsames Corpus für die Klausur

..links deaktiviert --Olaf Simons 19:03, 10 July 2008 (CEST)

Die folgende Liste ist ein einigermaßen gemeinsames Materialcorpus für die Klausur, da wir bei über 700 Episoden und sehr unterschiedlicher Kenntnis des Gesamtcorpus uns sonst schnell im Wald befinden. Ich selbst muß eine Chance behalten, nachollziehen zu können, wovon Ihr sprecht. Ihr dürft Euch in der Klausur auf Folgen außerhalb dieses Corpus beziehen, müßt dann sicherstellen, daß sie entweder im Handapparat der Uni vorhanden sind (dort gibt es TOS, TNG ganz, sowie von den anderen Dingen leider nur die ersten Boxen). Anderes müßt Ihr mir ansonsten vor der Korrektur zur Verfügung stellen.

The Original Series

1. Errand of Mercy Episode 26, March 23, 1967
2. The Apple Episode 34, October 13, 1967
3. A Private Little War Episode 48, February 2, 1968
4. The Omega Glory Episode 52, March 1, 1968

One can add Patterns of Force Episode 50, February 16, 1968 - where Kirk and Spock have to survive on a Nazi planet, one can just as well add The Cloud Minders, Episode 76, February 28, 1969 - an episode in which we get a social conflict and a situation in which both Spock and Kirk have to survive between the battle lines. (Spock later complained that the film script forced him to compromise his own character).

"Ich kann "Patterns of Force" und "Cloud Minders" zwar downloaden und hören, kriege aber kein Bild. Hat jemand zufällig das gleiche Problem bzw. weiß, wie das zu beheben ist?!

Habe dasselbe Problem mit mehreren Dateien, dachte aber, es liegt an meinen Voreinstellungen. Ich will mal John fragen --Olaf Simons 10:29, 18 February 2008 (CET)

Woran es auch liegt: Dieser (schlanke, kostenlose, vertrauenswürdige) Media-player spielt in der Regel alles problemlos ab: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Wer Probleme beim Download von "TNG: Descent (part 2)" hat, ersetze die "152" in der Adressleiste durch "153", dann geht's.

The Next Generation

1. Who Watches the Watchers, Episode 51, October 16, 1989
2. First Contact, Episode 89, February 18, 1991
3. Ensign Ro, Episode 103, October 21, 1991
4. The Masterpiece Society, Episode 113, February 10, 1992

The TNG-Borg confrontation is an interesting topic, yet one one can hardly handle with a look on a single episode. The Best of Both Worlds (Parts I+II), aired June 18 and September 24, 1990 have Picard assimilated by the Borg. I, Borg, Episode 123, 11th May 1992 moves into a closer cultural exchange between the TNG crew and the Borg unfolding further in episodes 152 and 153 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descent_%28Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation%29 Descent (Parts I+II), aired on June 21, 1993 and September 20, 1993. I guess you all have some ideas about the Borg either from these episodes or the episodes featuring Seven of Nine in Voyager.

Deep Space 9

1. Emissary, Parts I+II, Pilot, January 3, 1993
2. In the Hands of the Prophets Episode 20, June 20, 1993
3. For the Cause, Episode 93, May 6, 1996
4. When It Rains... + Tacking Into the Wind Episodes 169 and 170, May 5 and May 12, 1999

Episodes 169 and 170 can hardly be understood without each other and open the conclusion. If you want more of the whole DS9 plot line - and if you are especially interested in the topic of religion you might add: Tears of the Prophets link, Episode 150, June 17, 1998 and its follow ups Image in the Sand, Episode 151, September 30, 1998 and Shadows and Symbols, Episode 152, October 7, 1998.

Voyager + Enterprise

(We watched the pilots in class and I think we should make things easy by not focusing on any particular Voyager or Enterprise episodes. Fans of both sequels might pay special attention to the federation's treatment of the Borg. I am not too well aware of other alien races in these universes...)

Topics for seminar papers

• Concepts of Evolution and Progress
• Freedom
• Computers
• Androids
• Gods
• Family ties - private life on board of a space ship
• Logic and Mysticism - Vulcans
• Why don't we have any Muslims on board?
• Difference of fan-literature and "scientific" secondary literature
• The Future and Nostalgia
• Illusions
• ... there were a lot more topics mentioned before.

Literature

• Engel, Joel. Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind Star Trek. New York: Hyperion, 1994.

One of the first critical biographies that appeared after Roddenberry's death.

• Shatner, William/ Kreshi, Chris. Star Trek Memories. New York: Harper & Collins, 1993.

Offers insight into the production.

• Tulloch, John/ Jenkins, Henry. Science Giction Audiences: Watching Doctor Who and Star Trek. London: Routledge, 1995.

On the fan community and interaction.

• Solow, Herb and Justman, Robert H. Inside Star Trek: The Real Story. New York: Pocket, 1996.

One of the critical revisoions which appeared after Roddenbery's death.

• Gentejohan, Volker, Narratives from the Final Frontier: A Postcolonial Reading of the Original Star Trek Series. Frankfurt a. M./ Berlin: Peter Lang, 2000. 161 pp.

Dissertation, German in its structure: What is postcolonialism? Then apply the theory an see it works. The readings create a congruity where there might be not so much of it. Character analysis and special questions revealing the basically American cultural centre, the phalLogocentrism of the series.

• Gregory, Chris. Star Trek: Parallel Narratives Houndsmills/ Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000.

Good Bibliography. Central idea: Star Trek evolving into a mythological system. Written with the awareness of immense changes within the Star Trek universe – changes due to changing options under which TV-shows and movies could be produced over the years. Analysis of interaction and differences between main producers of TOS Roddenberry Coon (he produced much of the Federation’s political framework) and Frieberger (third season with its many recycled shows).

• Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. Religions of Star Trek. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001. 246 pp.

Multi facetted and extremely inspiring.

• Kanzler, Katja. "Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations", The Multicultural Evolution of STAR TREK. Heidelberg, Winter, 2004.

Explores the multiculturalism of the Star Trek universe – as a popular and commercial concept. Written with a good deal of fascination.

• Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek: Technologies of disappearance. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004. 369 pp. ISBN 3-930064-16-2.

Technologies of the Star Trek universe from "beaming" to warp spead. Question what they betray if read by a cultural historian.

• Broderick, James F. The literary galaxy of Star Trek: An analysis of references and themes in the television series and films. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2006. vi, 233 pp. ISBN 0-7864-2571-7

Intertextuality and literary motives from quest to vampirism.

• Relke, Diana M. A. Drones, Clones, and Alpha Babes: Retrofitting Star Trek's humanism, post-9/11. Calgary: Univ. of Calgary Press, 2006. xx, 168 pp. ISBN 1-552-38164-1, ISBN 978-1-552-38164-9

What does Star Trek tell us about the US?

• Geraghty, Lincoln. Living with Star Trek: American culture and the Star Trek universe (London [etc.]: Tauris, 2007), VIII, 232 pp.

Esp. on fandom.

• Geraghty, Lincoln (ed.). The influence of Star Trek on television, film, and culture. [=Critical explorations in science fiction and fantasy, 4]. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2007. ISBN 978-0-7864-3034-5

"Examining Star Trek from various critical angles, the essays in this collection provide vital new insights into the myriad ways that the franchise has affected the culture it represents, the people who watch the series, and the industry that created it" (Publisher).

Links

• Star Trek on en.wikipedia.org

• The Original Series episodes
• The Next Generation episodes
• Deep Space Nine episodes
• Voyager episodes
• Enterprise episodes

• Memory Alpha, Star Trek Wiki
• Which is the definitive Star Trek?
• BBC Star Trek Cult Page
• More BBC Star Trek Results
• Guardian Article: Beam me up Scotty: Star Trek actor's ashes sent into space
• Olaf Simons, Nimoy and not Nimoy, (orbituary)