Vernon Press Celebrates Star Trek Day with New Podcast Episode on Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier
In honor of Star Trek Day, Vernon Press is excited to announce a special episode on the New Books Network podcast, featuring co-editors Emily Strand and Amy H. Sturgis. The episode delves into the making of their latest scholarly contribution, Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier. This multidisciplinary anthology offers fresh perspectives on the legendary science fiction series, exploring its impact on culture, fandom, and academic scholarship.
A Deep Dive into Star Trek Scholarship
Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier brings together a wide range of academic voices to analyze the franchise from its beginnings in 1966 to its present-day incarnations. Unlike other collections that may focus on just a few aspects of the Star Trek universe, this anthology covers a broad spectrum of themes including social justice, diversity, post-humanism, and the ever-expanding multimedia narratives that Star Trek continues to offer.
In this podcast episode, co-editors Emily Strand and Amy H. Sturgis discuss how the book came to life, the collaboration process, and their goal of making this collection accessible to scholars, students, and fans alike. The book is designed to speak to academics across various disciplines, as well as to informed lay readers with a passion for speculative fiction.
Behind the Scenes: How the Book Came About
During the podcast, Emily and Amy share personal stories about how they became involved with Star Trek and the world of speculative fiction. Amy recounts her early exposure to Star Trek through her family, which led her to pursue a career in academia, earning a PhD in history from Vanderbilt University. Emily, on the other hand, found her way to the Star Trek universe as an adult, after first developing a love for speculative fiction through the Harry Potter series.
The editors also discuss how their collaboration with Vernon Press led to the creation of not one, but two scholarly anthologies—Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier and Star Wars: Essays Exploring a Galaxy Far, Far Away. Both volumes were met with great enthusiasm in academic circles, and the editors made it a priority to gather essays that would contribute significantly to the field of speculative fiction studies.
Exploring Star Trek’s Relevance Today
One of the central themes of the book, and of the podcast discussion, is Star Trek’s enduring relevance. Emily and Amy highlight how the franchise continues to resonate with audiences by tackling complex social, political, and philosophical issues. Characters like Seven of Nine, for instance, are explored through lenses such as post-humanism and queerness, providing modern viewers and scholars with rich material for discussion.
The anthology also looks at how Star Trek has evolved over time, especially in terms of its engagement with contemporary issues like conspiracy theories, as seen in Star Trek: Voyager. The editors emphasize that Star Trek’s ability to inspire meaningful conversations makes it a vital subject for academic inquiry, as well as a cultural touchstone for fans around the world.
The Role of Fandom in Star Trek’s Success
Another fascinating aspect covered in both the book and the podcast is the active role Star Trek fans have played in the evolution of the franchise. From fan fiction to conventions, Star Trek fandom has helped shape the franchise into what it is today—a participatory and ever-growing narrative universe. This anthology highlights the importance of fan contributions and how they intersect with academic discussions, further enriching the Star Trek mythos.
Listen to the Full Podcast Episode
To hear the full discussion on Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier, visit the New Books Network podcast here.
For those interested in the companion volume, Star Wars: Essays Exploring a Galaxy Far, Far Away, you can also check out the related podcast episode here.
About Vernon Press
Vernon Press is an independent publisher specializing in the social sciences, humanities, and arts. We are committed to bringing cutting-edge scholarship to a global audience, making complex academic topics accessible to a wider public. Our collaboration with the New Books Network reflects our dedication to fostering thoughtful and engaging conversations across disciplines.
Edition 1st
ISBN 978-1-64889-879-2
Published in May 2024
Page last updated on September 16th 2024. All information correct at the time, but subject to change.
