Star Trek and the American Society of the 20th Century
Keywords:
Sci-fi TV series, Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek, gender roles, racial issuesAbstract
This paper explores the effect of the television series Star Trek on the equal rights struggle in the 20th century USA society. Analysis of two main topics – the fight for equal rights of minorities and the position of women in society – shows that by depicting minorities as equal partners and placing women into better positions, the author of Star Trek Gene Roddenberry prepared the television audience for the changes to come and helped them to be more receptive to things “alien” to them.
References
Adler, Margot. Star Trek present at Creation [online]. 2002 , May 20, 2002 [accessed 2007-01-05], available at: <http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/patc/startrek/index.html>.
Alexander, David. Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry. Roc Hardcover, 1994.
Andersen, Soren. “TV roles more open now, says versatile B.D. Wong; Wider choice: Casting gradually becoming less racially rigid“. The News Tribune. 25 September (2003).
Billen, Andrew. “Spaced out”. New Statesman. 29 May (2006).
Chiang, Mona. “OUT OF THIS World”. Science World. 13 – 27 November (2006).
Cultural Impact of Star Trek [online]. [2007] [accessed 2007-01-05], available at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_impact_of_Star_Trek>.
Nimoy, Leonard. I Am Spock. Hyperion books, 1995.
Shatner, William. Star Trek: Memories. Harpercollins, 1993.
Starfleet uniform (2350s-2360s) [online]. 2007 [accessed 2007-01-05], available at: <http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Starfleet_uniform_(2350s-2360s)>.
Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space 9, Star Trek: Voyager, Enterprise, Star Trek: Enterprise. NBC/CBS Paramount Domestic Television, 1966 – 2005.
Whitfield, Stephen E., and Roddenberry, Gene . The Making of Star Trek. New York: Ballantine Books, 1968.
Zoglin, Richard, and Walsh, Michael. “Trekking Onward.” Time. 28 November (1994).
