These are the panels in which I’ll be participating at WisCon this weekend.
Gadgets: Then, Now and When
Sat 1:00 – 2:15PM
Conference 4
Moderator: Michelle Murrain; John Helfers, Elise Anna Matthesen, Victoria Janssen, Allison Morris.
Cyberpunk and steampunk are alluring gadget–heavy genres: what roles do gadgets and their inventors play in characterization and world–building? What gadgets exist that we never dreamt we’d see, and which do we think we may see within our lifetimes? What are the fictional gadgets we wish really existed? Which real gadgets can’t we live without, and which do we take for granted?
Witches and Wizards: Gender and Power in Portrayals of Magic
Sat 10:30 – 11:45PM
Caucus
Moderator: Sarah G. Micklem; Gerri Balter, Melodie Bolt, Beverly Friend, Victoria Janssen.
Are witches female and wizards male? Feminism has created a new norm where Hermione gets to go to wizard school too, but let’s take a closer look. Are there still implicit assumptions about the gender of magic in many fantasies?
