What?s behind the explosion of the dystopian and post-apocalyptic subgenres in the past decade? How do these seer-like representations of the future revisit older narrative traditions? We will discover why these prophetic forms--straddling the realms of science, politics, literature, and psychology--are at the forefront of the popular imagination. Assignments include blog posts, an op-ed, an imitative style exercise, and participation in online group chats from which you have a wide selection of times.