Star Trek has endured popularity across generations and cultures for exploring contemporary social issues through its stories of space exploration. The document discusses how Star Trek can be used as a "social curriculum" to teach about topics like racial tensions, technologies, bodies, and more. It provides examples of how the franchise examines these issues through themes like the Klingons representing raced bodies, border crossings with aliens, and the Borg raising questions about dehumanization.

1. 24th Century Teaching and Social
Curriculum
C. Guertin | UOIT
EDUC5199G
21 July 15

2. Few authors and
works have had
such enduring
popularity as the
Star Trek
franchise does –
including a fan
culture that spans
generations,
races, classes, and
cultures. Why is
that?

9. Watch Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyLUwOcR5pk

10. Why is Star Trek useful for devising a social
curriculum, as Karen Anijar calls it?

11. Changing the standards
Clip 1: MLK & Nasa: http://www.makers.com/nichelle-nichols
Clip 2: Whoopi Goldberg: http://www.makers.com/moments/loving-science

12. Klingon for Dummies, Lesson #1
http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2011/05/25/klingon-for-dummies-lesson-1-video/

13. Do we need another hero?
White hats? Black hats?
Genre fiction?

14. How does Star Trek explore contemporary anxieties about runaway
political systems, racial tensions, diseases, sexualities, technologies
and bodies? How would you use this topic in your teaching?
1. Klingons and raced bodies
2. Klingons and language
3. Klingons and ‘primitivism’
4. Aliens and (final frontier) border crossings
5. Sci-fi and parody
6. The Borg, dehumanization and assimilation
7. Aliens and (mutant) viruses
8. Star Trek and intertextuality

15. Utah man shot four times in the back for
dressing cosplay with a toy sword

16. The example for peaceful relations between alien cultures
provide safe, comforting or model metaphors for those who
cross gender borders in their own lives.

18. Sleep Dealer
Watch trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbJGQl-dJ6c