Title :
Representing female-friendly science and technology in fiction and film
Author :
Colatrella, Carol
Author_Institution :
Sch. of Literature, Commun. & Culture, Georgia Inst. of Technol., Atlanta, GA, USA
Abstract :
I am developing a socio-historical and literary analysis concerning the continuing problem of under-representation of women in science and engineering education and professions. Fictional representations of women engaged with science and technology offer images reflecting and refracting historical and contemporary cultural values regarding those influencing and affected by the consequences of innovative technologies. This paper examines three fictional texts delineating the roles of women in technology-Lydia Maria Child´s 1846 short story “Hilda Silfverling: A Fantasy”, and two Hollywood movies: “IQ” (1994; directed by Fred Schepisi) and “Contact” (1997; directed by Robert Zemickis)
Keywords :
cinematography; engineering education; gender issues; history; literature; professional aspects; social sciences; Contact; Hilda Silfverling; Hollywood movies; IQ; contemporary cultural values; engineering education; engineering professions; female-friendly science; female-friendly technology; fiction; films; historical cultural values; innovative technologies; literary analysis; science education; scientific professions; short story; sociohistorical analysis; under-representation; women; Chemical technology; Cultural differences; Educational technology; Engineering education; Humans; Mathematics; Motion pictures; Paper technology; Radio astronomy; Space technology;
Conference_Titel :
Technology and Society, 1999. Women and Technology: Historical, Societal, and Professional Perspectives. Proceedings. 1999 International Symposium on
Conference_Location :
New Brunswick, NJ
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5617-9
DOI :
10.1109/ISTAS.1999.787303