While science fiction often takes place in societies far away in the future or on distant planets, it often also says something critical about contemporary societies. During this course we will take a closer look at some of the recurring themes that sf criticizes and examine what kinds of tools it uses to criticize these issues. We will also consider what the purpose or effect of the criticism might be: Is sf activism or mere escapism? The reading will consist of a combination of fictional and theoretical texts. The main focus will be on science fiction written in the past 50 years, but we will also touch on recent sf television and film.