Science Fiction and Introductory Sociology: The "Handmaid" in the Classroom

This article advocates for an updated use of science fiction in the sociology classroom and provides an example from a lesson plan centered around Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Science fiction is helpful to the sociology instructor because it can illustrate social change, aspects of society such as gender, race, and class, and introduce the sociology student to critical thinking. Over the course of several weeks, students were asked to read the novel, discuss the themes, and use critical thinking skills developed over the first 12 weeks of class. This reading and discussion activity can help utilize skills learned in an undergraduate sociology course, and can be tied to major social themes.