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Between Extrapolation and Speculation: Reading Octavia E. Butler in the Geography Classroom

Frank Müller & Anke Schwarz

Geographical Journal2026https://doi.org/10.1111/geoj.70067article
AJG 1
Weight
0.50

What the paper says

In this commentary, we explore how the work of Octavia E. Butler, a prominent Black feminist speculative fiction author, can enrich teaching practices aimed at fostering collective and emancipatory forms of future‐making in Political and Urban Geography. Focusing on Butler's Parables duology, a significant example of climate fiction, we demonstrate how fictional narratives of home‐making can shape our understanding of the present and encourage reflection on methods of envisioning the future. We argue that Butler's approach, which combines logical extrapolation with creative speculation, can cultivate transformative practices. This dual and intertwined methodology supports a critical engagement with plausible futures and spatial imaginaries, making it a valuable component of geographical curricula.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/geoj.70067

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@article{frank2026,
  title        = {{Between Extrapolation and Speculation: Reading Octavia E. Butler in the Geography Classroom}},
  author       = {Frank Müller & Anke Schwarz},
  journal      = {Geographical Journal},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/geoj.70067},
}

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Between Extrapolation and Speculation: Reading Octavia E. Butler in the Geography Classroom

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.