Black science fiction writers face 'universal' racism, study finds

Fireside Fiction’s report, #BlackSpecFic, finds less than 2% of SF stories published in 2015 were by black writers The world of speculative fiction publishing is plagued by “structural, institutional, personal, universal” racism, according to a new report that found less than 2% of more than 2,000 SF stories published last year were by black writers.The report, published by the magazine Fireside Fiction, states that just 38 of the 2,039 stories published in 63 magazines in 2015 were by black writers. With the bulk of the industry based in the US, more than half of all speculative fiction publications the report considered did not publish a single original story by a black author. “The probability that it is random chance that only 1.96% of published writers are black in a country where 13.2% of the population is black is 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000321%,” says the report.It’s a popular fallacy that if a single black person succeeds then we’ve obviously moved past institutionalised racismI have a better chance of being wrongfully convicted of a crime than I do of selling a piece to a SF magazine Related: Daniel José Older creates female black heroes to make fantasy more real Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Black science fiction writers face 'universal' racism, study finds

Fireside Fiction’s report, #BlackSpecFic, finds less than 2% of SF stories published in 2015 were by black writers The world of speculative fiction publishing is plagued by “structural, institutional, personal, universal” racism, according to a new report that found less than 2% of more than... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #black author


10 Science Fiction Books by Black Women Writers

This past summer, an auntie of mine dusted off an old cardboard box of books from a cluttered storage unit, and handed me a slim blue and gold paperback with soft, slightly frayed corners and a creased spine by Octavia E. Butler. I had never read science fiction that featured a Black girl being... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2022-12-28 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Everything You Need to Know About Groundbreaking Queer Feminist Science Fiction Writer Joanna Russ

When she was in high school in the early 1950’s, Joanna Russ (1930–2011) read Mark Twain’s short story  “A Medieval Romance,” about a duke without a male heir who brings his daughter up to fill the role, hiding her gender from all. Things get complicated when the duke’s niece falls in love with... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-11-03 08:41:28 UTC ]
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The Study of Reality: On Trauma, Quantum Mechanics, and Writing Science Fiction

Before I dedicated my life to taking pot-shots at the nature of the universe—I mean, before I became a science fiction writer—I was a frightened child. Death scared me, but living was the constant terror. My father told me I had chosen this. I had come to him in a dream before I was born […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-06-14 08:53:04 UTC ]
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Black creators drive higher media value for marketers, study finds

A new report from Group Black and Nielsen reveals Black creators have larger and more engaged followings than their non-Black peers. Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2023-06-13 14:00:00 UTC ]
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Let’s talk about science fiction and horror by new, promising writers

In our final column for The Post, we revisit books we have savored and many more we hope to read. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-08-04 12:00:00 UTC ]
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James Patterson Apologizes For Saying Older White Male Writers Face Racism

“I absolutely do not believe that racism is practiced against white writers," the bestselling author said. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2022-06-15 06:32:10 UTC ]
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James Patterson claims White male writers face ‘another form of racism’

“It’s even harder for older writers," Patterson, whose net worth is estimated to be $800 million, told the Sunday Times. "You don’t meet many 52-year-old white males.” Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-06-14 14:28:52 UTC ]
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Foundation: an introduction to five major themes in the work of science fiction writer Isaac Asimov

One of the greatest science fiction writers, Asimov’s work has had a lasting effect thanks to his prescient takes on technology, climate collapse and humanity’s future. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2021-09-24 15:01:23 UTC ]
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Pandemic Survey Finds NYC Writers, Lit Organizations Face Economic Loss

A new survey examining the impact of the pandemic on New York City’s literary community found that 75% of the city’s literary organizations reported some financial loss over the last year, with some organizations reporting losses as high as $100,000. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-05-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Columbia, Howard University to Launch Black Studies Book Series, Diversity Program

Columbia University Press, in collaboration with Howard University and Columbia University, is launching a new Black studies book series, with plans to also recruit and train students for the book industry. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-03 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Study of Economics Could Learn a Lot From Science Fiction

Mainstream economics is suffering an identity crisis, which began with The Great Recession and has reemerged during the current pandemic. In response, a growing collection of voices has advocated looking beyond the field—in particular, to science fiction—as a way to imagine it anew. Although... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-05 08:48:01 UTC ]
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Spanish-speaking writers are producing ambitious science fiction and fantasy. Let these books be your introduction.

As diverse as Spanish genre fiction is, most of it is hidden from the English-language world. Thankfully, enthusiasts and small publishers are filling the void. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-09-21 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Black journalists face challenges that stem from systemic racism

The fallout from recent protests over the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor have reignited long-standing concerns on the part of many Black journalists about their roles in the newsrooms they work in, and the value they are given (or not given) by the media companies... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2020-07-09 11:50:34 UTC ]
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Asurion creates data-science scholarship at historically black university

One of Nashville’s largest privately owned companies is launching an initiative aimed at bringing more diversity into the tech industry.  Asurion has donated $200,000 to create a new data-science scholarship at historically black Fisk University in Nashville, according to a news release.  The... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-06-09 17:16:57 UTC ]
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25 Universe-Expanding Science Fiction Books for Kids

From time travel to galaxy-spanning journeys to scientific experiments gone interesting, there are so many fun science fiction books for ... Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-08-09 10:35:25 UTC ]
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Finding My Climate-Conscious Tribe: Black Nature Lovers and Writers

Scrolling book-reveals for Lit Hub’s Climate Change Library I sighed, “Here we go again.” On the first day, “Part One: The Classics” listed 48 books written by mostly white authors. The four exceptions, Robert D. Bullard, a Black American and Winona LaDuke, an Indigenous North American, along... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-07-26 08:50:12 UTC ]
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Writer and physicist Alan Lightman finds room for science and spirituality

An interview with the MIT Astrophysicist and novelist at this year's Boston Book Festival, including excerpts and a link to the full interview.  Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2018-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Airbnb Hosts Discriminate Against Black Renters, Study Finds

Airbnb hosts were less inclined to book renters with stereotypically African-American names, Harvard Business School researchers found.A new study from Harvard Business School finds that Airbnb hosts are more likely to book reservations with users who have "distinctly white" names, according to... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Male writers continue to dominate literary criticism, Vida study finds

Women buy two-thirds of books sold but magazine reviews are centred on male authors and critics – though picture is beginning to changeThe continuing bias towards men in the British and American literary establishment has been confirmed by a study released on Tuesday.Vida, a US organisation... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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