Renowned Science Fiction Writer Kim Stanley Robinson Visits University of Limerick and Cloughjordan Ecovillage in April

The Ralahine Centre for Utopian Studies, along with its partners at the University of Limerick and Cloughjordan Ecovillage, are proud to welcome one of the most renowned writers of science fiction, Kim Stanley Robinson, to Ireland 6–10 April. A Week With Kim Stanley Robinson is a unique, interdisciplinary series of events including readings, workshops, lectures, conversations, and site visits, many of which are free to the public.

Kim Stanley Robinson is a towering, multi-award-winning figure in science fiction, and he has authored over 20 books, including the Mars trilogy(1993-1997) and Aurora(2015). His work deals with some of the most critical social, economic, and environmental issues facing our world, particularly in relation to ecological sustainability, world building, and utopian possibilities.

Robinson’s writing resonates with the ethos of the Ralahine Centre for Utopian Studies, which was established in 2003 with a research agenda based on the premise that social values, policies, and practices are shaped by hopeful, utopian visions which is critical to the betterment of life for all members of society.

As Founding Director of the Ralahine Centre for Utopian Studies, which is named after the nineteenth century Ralahine Cooperative in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Professor Emeritus Tom Moylan notes that Robinson’s visit to Limerick and Tipperary marks “a significant moment in the Centre’s twelve-year history of conducting research, teaching, and public programmes on all topics of utopian studies.”  Moylan continues, “Kim Stanley Robinson’s work entertains and challenges readers of all generations. Unafraid of writing critical accounts of the world as it is, he is no less afraid of generating realistic future alternatives.  Whether in near-future science fiction dealing with rapid climate change or more far-reaching accounts of the settlement of Mars or stories about prehistory or time travel to the future, Robinson is simply one of the best.  We are privileged here at UL to have him with us as our guest for a week.”

Central to Robinson’s visit are several student-based workshops that take advantage of his creative expertise across disciplines such as writing, architecture, and design. University of Limerick students from the MA in Creative Writing, the MA in Ethnomusicology, the School of Architecture (SAUL), and the Centre for Interactive Design will benefit from a rare opportunity to work closely with a key imaginative thinker of world building, which is the imaginative method of constructing alternative societies so as to generate a thoughtful perspective on the present.

Public engagement with all aspects of Robinson’s work is an important feature of this visit, and there are four free events that are open to the public. “Time in the Novel” (Tuesday, 7 April, 5:30pm, sponsored by the School of Architecture) will appeal to readers and authors of any good fiction. The Ralahine Workshop on Science Fiction Criticism (Wednesday, 8 April)provides a unique opportunity to hear Robinson comment on contemporary Irish scholarship in progress by faculty and postgraduate students from UL working in sociology, literature, cultural studies, and music.

The book launch and reading on (Wednesday, 8 April) is a particular treat for science fiction fans: the launch of Dr. Jack Fennell’s newly published monograph, Irish Science Fiction, will be followed by a reading by Kim Stanley Robinson from his forthcoming novel, Aurora (July 2015). There will also be book displays by O’Mahony’s Bookshop and the Ralahine Centre.

Kim Stanley Robinson will also visit Cloughjordan Ecovillage on Thursday, 9 April. This ecovillage was established to demonstrate principles of sustainable living in the mainstream, which resonates very closely with much of Robinson’s work. Robinson will meet ecovillage residents and members to discuss the village’s design and organisation. That evening, he will incorporate his responses to this innovative project into a public lecture entitled “Minimizing Climate Change: an Economic Problem”, which is also open to the public.

Before departing on Friday (10 Apr), Robinson will meet once more with

ecovillagers to discuss the topic of ‘Intentional Communities and Utopia’, rounding off an incredibly busy and highly stimulating week of events.

All public events during ‘A Week with Kim Stanley Robinson’ can be booked through www.eventbrite.ie

For further information, please contact ralahine@ul.ie and follow us on our twitter feedwww.twitter.com/KSRobinsonUL and on facebook: www.facebook.com/aweekwithkimstanleyrobinson

CloughjordanEcovillage is located in the heart of Cloughjordan and received the Gold Award for best ‘Socio-Economic Project’ at UN International Awards for Liveable Communities in Xiamen, China, Nov 2013. It now has 110 residents living in 53 high-performance green homes; over 20,000 newly planted trees; and Ireland’s largest renewable energy district heating system. Django’s Hostel is welcoming overnight guests, Riot Rye Bakery is producing award-winning breads and WeCreate, unique creative and technological workspace for eco-entrepreneurs, is open for business.

Kim Stanley Robinson is a New York Times bestseller and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards. He is the author of more than twenty books, including the bestselling Mars trilogy and the critically acclaimed Forty Signs of Rain, The Years of Rice and Salt and 2312. In 2008, he was named a “Hero of the Environment” by Time magazine, and he works with the Sierra Nevada Research Institute. He lives in Davis, California.