ACADEMICS at the University of Glasgow will tomorrow officially launch the first research centre in the world to focus solely on fantasy.
The Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic comes five years after the world’s first masters in fantasy literature was launched at the university.
Inspired by the uniquely fantastical architecture of the university itself – used in shows such as Outlander – the pioneering team of knowledgeable researchers will use the centre to work with others across the university.
Led by Dr Dimitra Fimi and Dr Rob Maslen, it will bring together the biggest concentration of academics in this field working on a portfolio of research, knowledge exchange and educational activities.
Fimi, a senior lecturer in fantasy and children’s literature, and specialist on J.R.R. Tolkien, said: “This will be the first research centre in the world to focus solely on fantasy. It will look at different expressions of the fantastic – literature, art, illustration, games and gaming as well as film and TV.
“My colleagues and I have considerable expertise and have published extensively on fantasy and the fantastic. We also have a great number of PhD students working with us on exciting research projects.
“This research centre is a chance for us to expand our collaboration with colleagues across the university and internationally, and to work closely with, and learn from, the fantasy community and creative practitioners in order to explore together what are the transformational possibilities of fantasy as a mode of expression and as a practice.
“And of course Glasgow is the perfect location for students in this field! We are surrounded by expressions of fantasy and the fantastic in the university’s very architecture.
“But this is also a future-facing university interested in world leading cutting edge research which will now include our Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic.”
Maslen, a senior lecturer in English literature who set up the MLitt in fantasy literature, said: “Fantasy
can be found everywhere in 21st-century global culture, in films, TV shows, plays, games, comics, the visual arts, and literature from picture books for the very young to multi-volume epics and one-off experimental forms.
“The new Glasgow Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic allows us to pay close attention to this extraordinary phenomenon, its past, its present, and its many possible futures. I can’t wait to discover where its projects will lead us.”
Ellen Kushner, the award-winning fantasy author, performer, and broadcaster, who is the keynote speaker at the official launch, said: “The tradition of the fantastic in art and literature is far more deep and complex than many people realise.
“I’m overjoyed that a centre, led by this particular crew of knowledgeable and passionate academics, will now exist to benefit us all, and lead us into the future.
“As a fantasy writer, I stand on the shoulders of storytellers stretching back through time, everything from the post-war children’s book authors I grew up reading, to the folk telling tales by the fire they’d heard from their grandmothers in their turn.
“An entire centre making sure this knowledge is valued, perpetuated, and will exist to inform future generations fills me with joy.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here