UC Riverside

The 1940s were a crucial period in the development of how the human-machine continuum was formulated and understood. Over the course of the decade, Americans experienced numerous social and scientific changes, many of which had long lasting effects. As science and technology became increasingly complex during this period, gender norms also experienced significant changes. Changing gender norms both affected how people understood the Self and how they understood the Self's relationship with advanced machines. I explore the relationship between humans and their technological tools by examining science fiction texts published during this period. I read both science fiction texts and contemporary reactions to those texts produced by science fiction fans in a variety of professional and amateur publications. I focus on the U.S. science fiction community, especially the portion linked to Astounding Science-Fiction, which largely embraced closer relationships with technology during this period. However, the same community resisted attempts to redefine the human side of the equation in relation to gender.

This dissertation extends the history of science fiction's engagement with the relationship between gendered humans and machines. It argues that while the community often expressed a clear interest in integrating humans more fully with machines and machine systems, it resisted attempts to re-define the human Self as other than white, male and heterosexual. The texts considered here laid the groundwork for later movements but many have been lost with the death of the pulps. It also investigates how fans helped to shape the development of some of the genre's core themes. The ephemeral nature of fan-created texts means that scholarly knowledge of their contents and influence is partial and incomplete. By restoring fans' voices to the genre's conversation about the relationship between gendered humans and machines, I am able to give a more complete picture of issues that continue to shape science fiction and American culture today.