Reading Stargate SG*1, edited by Stan Beeler and Lisa Dickson

This collection of essays examines the cultural circulation of the popular science fiction series, its marketing, its treatment of place, American (and/or Canadian) nationalism, its politics of gender and identity, as well as its generic, filmic, and thematic qualities. The collection is from I.B. Tauris and Palgrave/St. Martin's.

In 1997 the series Stargate SG-1 first aired on American Cable television, initially on Showcase and then in later seasons on the SciFi and Space channels. Through syndication, it has since ventured into broader European markets. Stargate SG-1 has blossomed into a series with a stable market value driven by fierce fan loyalty. Moreover, the series has an eighth season in production and – what may be considered the holy grail of any television series – a spin-off (Atlantis) also premiering this summer. Given the short and brutish lifespan of the average Fantasy / Science Fiction series it would seem appropriate to take a critical look at Stargate SG-1 as it enters its eighth season and attempt to discover the source of its staying power. The show's military setting and its dramatization of the American military's relationship with external powers (both Earthly and extra-terrestrial), and its exploration of the ethics of technology, empire, and exploration make an investigation of this series at this point in history topical.

Launch of the book is 5:00 pm Saturday, July 8 at Books & Co.