Programme (Final version)

Conference programme  (Final version)

(G = general content; S = specific content; RT = Round Table)

09:30-09:45

Pere Gallardo-Torrano, U. Rovira i  Virgili

“Family-friendly SF, or the Other Side of Realism” (G)

09:45-10:00

Bill Phillips, U. de Barcelona

“The Eschatology of Contemporary Science Fiction” (G)

10:00-10:15

Rocío Carrasco, U. de Huelva

“Interrogating the Posthuman in Contemporary US Science Fiction Films” (G)

10:15-10:30

Irene Sanz, Franklin Institute, U. de Alcalá de Henares

“Redefining Aliens in Science Fiction” (G)

10:30-10:45

COFFEE BREAK

10:45-11:30

Montse de Paz, writer. Premio Minotauro de Novela Fantástica, 2011

11:30-11:45
Marta M. Gutiérrez, Universidad de Valladolid

“Travelling between Worlds: Time Travel in Historical Fiction about the Salem Witch Trials” (G)

11:45-12:00

Samuel N. Fernández, U. Pablo de Olavide

“Anti-utopia as ‘Siege Imaginary’: The Case of US Science Fiction Film” (G)

12:00-12:15

BREAK

12:15-12:30

Francisco Sáez de Adana, U. de Alcalá de Henares

“The Presence of Science Fiction in American Comics” (G)

12:30-12:45

Sara Martín, U. Autònoma de Barcelona

“The Science (non)fiction of the Present: Considering the Figure of the Astronaut Today in Manuel Huerga's Documentary Son and Moon (2009)" (S)

12:45-13:00

Myriam Mubikayi, U. Complutense de Madrid

“The Quest for Memory in Octavia Butler’s Kindred and Fledging” (S)

13:00-14:00

LUNCH

14:00-14:15

Francisco Collado, U. de Zaragoza

“Cyberpunk vs. Postmodern Commodification: The Posthuman Being as Factory Meat in William Gibson’s Short Fiction” (S)

14:15-14:30

Beatriz Domínguez, U. de Huelva

“Bodies without Souls, Souls without Bodies: Sheri S. Tepper’s The Visitor” (S)

14:30-14:45

Angel Mateos-Aparicio, U. de Castilla-La Mancha

“A Postcolonial Insight into the Questions of Race and Identity in Science Fiction: Ben Bova’s Mars Trilogy” (S)

14:45-15:00

BREAK

15:00-15:15

Isabel Santaulària, U. de Lleida

“'This Is Still America ... Yeah, Just Barely.' Jericho as Social Commentary” (S)

15:15-15:30

Jimena Escudero, U. de Oviedo

“’To Carry the Fire’: The Road’s Apocalypses as a Rethinking of Humanity” (S)

15:30-15:45

María I. Jiménez, U. de Castilla-La Mancha

“Edgar Allan Poe and His Repercussion in the Genre of Science Fiction” (S)

15:45-16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00-16:30

Carmen M. Méndez/Thomas B. Byers, U. Complutense de Madrid/U of Louisville, KY

“Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away: How Science Fiction Texts Confront Real-World Issues” (RT)

16:30-.../...

CLOSING REMARKS & FEEDBACK SESSION

to arrive...

by air

1.      Barcelona airport (90 kms. from Tarragona). A direct bus service is operated by PLANA coach company. Buses depart from Terminal-1 and travel non-stop to TGN Bus station in the city centre. Alternatively, you can take a train to Barcelona  (Sants station) and then take a train southbound (Catalunya Expres or Regional Expres). Notice: high speed trains (AVE) are not recommended because the station is very far from the city centre. A taxi may also be an alternative, particularly if you can share the fare with someone else (ask the driver first: some may not want to drive beyond the Barcelona metropolitan area).

2.       Reus airport (12 kms. from Tarragona), operated exclusively by low cost and charter companies. Buses to Tarragona are operated by HISPANO IGUALADINA coach company. Alternatively, you may take a taxi.

by rail

If you are travelling long distance, high speed trains are a good option, despite the fact the Camp de Tarragona station is really far from the city centre.  From the station you may take a taxi to your hotel or to the conference venue (ca. 25-30€). A bus service is also available to the TGN Bus station in the city centre. If you are travelling short distance, the best option is to use the Tarragona station located downtown.

by car

From the north and the south, Tarragona can be reached by car through the AP-7 toll road. Alternatively, you may use the toll free A-7 or N-340, though they tend to be rather congested. From the west, Tarragona can be reached by car through the AP-2 toll road (via Zaragoza and Lleida). The URV-Campus Catalunya car park may be used at reasonable rates and it is right behind the conference venue with direct access to the building.

to sleep...

Here is a list of hotels in the city centre. Tarragona is a tourist resort with a large variety of hotels. Delegates are kindly requested to make their own arrangements by contacting the hotel of their choice or through any of the search engines listed below. The list of hotels provided only includes the most convenient ones in terms of distance and comfort. All hotels are within walking distance of the conference venue (max. 25 mins.). Suggestion: do not hesitate to check rates in 4-star hotels (you may have great surprises, and the price/quality relationship is outstanding)

hotels
Hotel Husa Imperial Tarraco **** 

Hotel Ciutat de Tarragona ****

AC Hotel Tarragona ****

Hotel Lauria ***

Hotel SB Express ***

Hotel Urbis ***

Alexandra Aparthotel ***

Hotel Catalunya Express **

Hotel Plaça de la Font *

Hotel Cosmos *

Hostal Noria **

search engines

Atrapalo

Booking.com

centraldereservas.com

eDreams

Eurobookings

Rumbo

TripAdvisor

Trivago

Venere

to eat...

Although coffee (morning & afternoon)  and a light lunch will be provided by the organization, the university campus has a large self-service cafeteria/restaurant where delegates can get anything from a simple coffee to a full meal, including some vegetarian options.

to register...

Registration: 50 € payable upon arrival (registration desk). Sorry, no credit cards.

Fee includes:  conference documents, morning coffee break, light lunch, afternoon coffee break.

need help?

If you need extra information, do not hesitate to contact pere.gallardo@urv.cat

how...

Send 300-word abstracts and proposals for round tables (min. two participants) to pere.gallardo@urv.cat. Only WORD attachments, please. Proposals should also include some basic bio-data and three keywords. Don't forget to include your...

name, affiliation, title of contribution, electronic equipment required, keywords.

The organizers want to ensure everybody has the opportunity to attend all sessions. Therefore, the number of participants is limited.

Important dates:

• Deadline to receive abstracts: 31 January 2012
• Confirmation of acceptance: 15 Feburary 2012
• Conference dates: 16 March 2012