'The Comedy of Coping,' with Kim Stanley Robinson
As the creeping destruction wrought by climate change escalates and political antagonism and public apathy deepen, finding the right story to catalyze change is more urgent than ever. Join Arizona State University’s Imagination and Climate Futures Initiative for a talk with New York Times bestselling author Kim Stanley Robinson, “The Comedy of Coping: Alarm and Resolve in Climate Fiction." After the talk, Robinson will take questions from the audience and sign books. This event is free and open to the public.
In the talk, Robinson will trace the threads of story and science that he wove together to create his latest novel, New York 2140, a scientifically-grounded exploration of climate chaos, its long aftermath, and the enduring forces of culture and community. He will also argue that we need to renounce apocalyptic thinking, even when it feels most irresistible. What can stories do in the face of impending calamity? How can fiction authors balance their urges to unsettle and inspire? How can literature be part of an affirmative response to existential risk?
This talk is the fourth annual Imagination and Climate Futures lecture; previous lectures have been delivered by renowned fiction authors Margaret Atwood and Paolo Bacigalupi and Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Kolbert.
Parking: Free parking is available in the shared lot between the Phoenix Art Museum and the Phoenix Theater, with additional parking on surrounding side-streets.