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The world is full of strange beings, some from outer space, others close to home. What leaps of imagination must we make to close the physical, cultural, philosophical, and linguistic gulf between "us" and "them"? How might encounters with "others" change our conceptions of self and our habits of thinking, feeling, and sensing? Readings include postcolonial and science-fiction texts by writers (and filmmakers) such as Octavia Butler, Ursula Le Guin, Indra Sinha, and Neill Blomkamp. Theoretical frameworks will span postcolonial, queer, and disability studies.