Socialist Science Fiction(s)

Technoscientific imaginings from Maoist China, Soviet Russia, and the future

Virginia L. Conn

I am a teaching assistant professor of literature in the Foundations of Writing and Critical Inquiry program at Stevens Institute of Technology, where I am also affiliate faculty in the Stevens Institute for Artificial Intelligence. While pursuing my PhD in Comparative Literature from Rutgers University, I was the recipient of the Center for Cultural Analysis Research Fellowship, Department of State Critical Language Scholarship, the Mellon Foundation Research Grant, the Institute for World Literature Fellowship, and the David Bartholomae Writing Fellowship (declined). Since taking up my position at Stevens, I teach classes and supervise research in science and speculative fiction, comparative and world literature, environmental humanities, critical theory, and expository and research writing.My work takes place at the intersection of comparative languages and literatures (Sinophone, Anglophone, Francophone, Germanophone, Esperantist, and Russophone literatures), science fiction studies, and science and technology studies. I am particularly interested in how population management emerged as a speculative project in mid-20th century Russian and Chinese science fiction. To this end, I investigate the co-constitution of science fiction and ideology, socialist teleologies, the ethics of progress, and nationalist technologies of embodiment. My monograph—tentatively titled Socialist Science Fiction and the Embodied State—examines socialist modernities by questioning how science fiction conscientiously harnessed utopian ideals of technological advancement as rational blueprints to shape the country’s citizens into “new socialist [hu]mans.”Socialist Science Fiction and the Embodied State examines depictions of the “new socialist human” in literature and art and how those depictions guided policy decisions in Mao-era China and Soviet Russia. I treat this project as a literary-material account of the relationship between socialist literary policies and the concurrent sociopolitical and technological drive to create the “new human” in daily life. The Embodied State demonstrates how science fiction was not only mobilized as a tool for ideological change, but also guided population management policies in practice. Through analyses of major writers such as Alexander Bogdanov, Xu Nianci, Ye Yonglie, and Wei Yahua, but also figures less associated with literature, such as Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Nicolai Berdyaev, and the (often anonymous) writers and artists of mass-market illustrated pamphlets, The Embodied State develops a framework for understanding human physiology as a literalization of the national body and a site of speculative experimentation.My work has appeared or is forthcoming in World Futures Review, Chinese Literature and Thought Today, SFRA Review, Vector, Verge, Fantastika, Key Words: a Journal of Historical Materialism, the Chiasma International Journal of Theory and Philosophy, Rhizomes, and in the edited collections Speculative Fiction from the Sinophone, Chinese Science Fiction: Concepts, Forms, and Histories, The Routledge Handbook of Cofuturisms, and Science Fiction in Translation: Perspectives on the Global Theory and Practice of Translation. In 2020 I edited a special issue of the SFRA Review on Sinofuturism and Chinese science fiction; in 2021, another SFRA Review special issue on Chinese science fiction and its global reception; and in 2024, a third SFRA Review special issue on socialist science fiction. I also co-edited a 2021 special issue of Verge: Studies in Global Asia on digital Asias and, along with Dino Ge Zhang and Gabriele de Seta, edited the first book about Sinofuturism to appear in Chinese (中华未来主义：学术册子系列). My essay “Formal Fictions: ‘Chinese’ ‘Science’ ‘Fiction’ in Translation,” published in the anthology Chinese Science Fiction: Concepts, Forms, and Histories, was the recipient of the 2025 Science Fiction Research Association Innovative Research Award (previously the Pioneer Award) for the year’s best critical essay-length work, while my “Introduction to the Science Fiction and Socialism Symposium” special issue won the Ancillary Review of Books (ARB) best critical essay of the year award in 2024.In past lives I worked for the US Peace Corps, the Chinese Social Sciences Academic Press, as a refugee resettlement coordinator, and in a private French middle school. I am in the process of developing the Stevens Institute for Future Studies (if you’re interested in being involved, please email me). I am a semi-competitive powerlifter, which doesn’t help my teaching/research except that it allows me to make a lot of jokes about Plato and his argument-winning “broad back” when discussing classical philosophy with my students. I am the recipient of the 2026 Stevens Institute of Technology SGA Distinguished Teaching Faculty Award and was nominated for the Stevens Student Success Champion the same year, so presumably my extracurricular jokes are landing every once in a while.

My CV

My (Viewable, Listen-able) Talks

My favorite androids and climate disaster:"Solastalgic Androids: Sonically Repurposing the Environment with Junebug and Johnny" at the 42nd Annual ICFA ConferenceI present about atomic visuality in the East German SF short story "The Eye that Never Weeps" (“Das Auge, das niemals weint”):"Blinded by the Light: Atomic Visualities and the Boundaries of Perception" at the London Science Fiction Research Community "Beyond Borders: Empires, Bodies, Science Fictions" conferenceListen to me discuss the horizon of utopian possibilities under socialism with the Cosmonaut team:"Different Horizons of Science Fiction under Socialism"A complete video of my presentation on lian huan hua (连环画) can be viewed here:"The Quotidian Utopia of China's Lian Huan Hua" at the Communism and Science Fiction Conference in Blagoevgrad, BulgariaI spoke to Andy Wilczak about my research on his Untenured Tracks podcast, available here:"Science Fiction and Socialism" Episode 11If you develop a time machine you can view all the other presentations I've given that are sadly lost to the audiovisual historical record.

My Copyedited Books and Papers

CASS Academic Division of Economics (中国社会科学院经济学部编). 2019. Aspects of China’s New Normal: Growth, Structure, and Momentum. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China).Cai Fang and Zhang Chewei (蔡昉 and 张车伟), eds. 2018. China’s Labor and Population Issues Report No. 17. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China).Cao Yuanzheng (曹远征). 2017. Strategies for Internationalizing the Chinese Renminbi. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China).Liu Yingqiu (刘迎秋). 2016. New Interpretations on the Development of China’s Non-Governmental Enterprises. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China).Yang Dongping (杨东平). 2015. "Diversity and Reform: Preparing for a New Age of Education in China." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 18-47Yue Changjun (岳昌君). 2015. "Survey Report on 2013 College Graduates' Employment Situation." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 48-73Sun Baicai and Liu Yunpeng (孙百才 and 刘云鹏). 2015. "China's Educational Attainments and Educational Equality: Empirical Data from 2002 to 2012." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 74-103Song Yingquan (宋映泉). 2015. "Trends in Preschool Education: Public Finance Investment, Development Trends, and Challenges to its Equality." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 104-156Zhou Jinyan (周金燕), Yuan Liansheng (袁连生), Zou Xue (邹雪). 2015. "A Review and Evaluation of China’s Financial Investment in Education over the Past Two Decades." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 157-186Xiong Bingqi (熊丙奇). 2015. "The Reformation of the National College Entrance Examination is Imminent." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 187-202Liu Huquan (刘胡权). 2015. "A Practical Exploration into the Development of Small-Scale Rural Schools in the Post- “Revocation and Merging” Era." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 203-230Zeng Guohua (曾国华). 2015. "Rebuilding the Government-School Relationship: an Exploration and Reflection." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 231-250Yu Mingxiao (于明潇). 2015. "The Current Situation Regarding the Protection of Children’s Rights and Interests in China and Related Policy Suggestions." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 251-274Xu Dongmei (徐冬梅). 2015. "Report on the Development of Reading NGOs in Mainland China since 2008." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 275-296Cheng Pingyuan (程平源). 2015. "The 2013 Investigation into the Nationwide Schoolchild Suicide Epidemic." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). (Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 297-323Zhang Tianxue and Gao Sha (张天雪 and 高莎). 2015. "The Current Situation and Development of Information Transparency in Local Educational Administrative Portals." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 324-343Yuan Fangyan and Liu Huquan (袁芳艳 and 刘胡权). 2015. "From Homeschooling to Non-School Experimental Education." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 344-366The 21st Century Education Research Institute. 2015. "Online Report on Public Satisfaction with Education in 2013." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 368-383Ge Jianxiong (葛剑雄). 2015. "Educational Problems in China, China’s Problems with Education." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 451-462Lang Xianping (郎咸平). 2015. "Financial Subsidies for Key Public Schools are China's Largest Inequity." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 463-468Cheng Hongbing (程红兵). 2015. "Why I Chose Shenzhen." 2014 Blue Book of China’s Education (General Report): Chinese Research Perspectives on Educational Development, vol. III. Edited by Yang Dongping (杨东平). Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China)/21st Century Education Research Institute, 469-473Cai Fang (蔡昉). 2015. The Middle Income Trap. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.Feng Lei and Peng Changhong (冯雷 and 裴长洪). 2014. The Performance of Foreign-Invested Social Enterprises in China. Beijing: Chinese Institute of Finance and Trade Economics.Niu Jialin (牛建林). 2014. "Provincial Disparities in Changes in Fertility and Related Implications," Chinese Research Perspectives on Population and Labor, vol. I, no. 13. Edited by Liang Fan (Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press/Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 14-23.Zheng Zhenzhen (郑真真). 2014. "Intergenerational Effects on Fertility and Intended Family Size: the Implications for Future Fertility Change in China," Chinese Research Perspectives on Population and Labor, vol. I, no. 13. Edited by Liang Fan (Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press/Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 24-30.Cai Fang and Zhao Wen (蔡昉 and赵文). 2014. "When Demographic Dividends Disappear: Growth Sustainability in China," Chinese Research Perspectives on Population and Labor, vol. I, no. 13. Edited by Liang Fan (Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press/Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 60-70.Cai Fang and Du Yang (蔡昉 and 都阳). 2014. "Wage Increase, Wage Convergence, and the Lewis Turning Point in China," Chinese Research Perspectives on Population and Labor, vol. I, no. 13. Edited by Liang Fan (Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press/Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 125-135.Cai Fang, Du Yang, and Qu Yue (蔡昉, 都阳, and曲玥). 2014. "Labor Market Vulnerability in Urban China," Chinese Research Perspectives on Population and Labor, vol. I, no. 13. Edited by Liang Fan (Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press/Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 151-160.Zhang Zhanxin (张展新). 2014. "Intensified Reform of the Labor Market and Abolishment of the Rural-Urban Divide," Chinese Research Perspectives on Population and Labor, vol. I, no. 13. Edited by Liang Fan (Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press/Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 207-223.Deng Xiangyu (邓翔宇). "PCNN Model Analysis and its Automatic Parameters Determination in Image Processing," Journal of Lanzhou Polytechnic College, 2012.Liu Hong (刘宏). “Action Research on Reading by Strategies-based Instruction,” Journal of Lanzhou Polytechnic College, 2012.

© Virginia L. Conn. All rights reserved.

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