Sunday Library Meetings (from 2nd Week, 18th October, to 7th Week, 22nd November)
are held from 8pm till late in Eck's room, Liddon 1702 in Keble (map).
Directions: To get in the Keble main gate, ring the bell and say you are visiting Calum Devlin.
Then through the porters lodge, go forward about 2/3 of the way, turn right
and cross the quad. Straight in front is the door to staircase 7.
If you can get in here, turn left, straight to the end and through the door in front of you.
1702 is on the left.
If the door to staircase 7 is locked, Eck's room is the ground-floor triple window
to the left (just to the right the next staircase): shout or throw some gravel
and someone will let you in.
If you get lost or stuck, you can phone the Keble lodge on 01865-272727 and
ask for extension 22416.
These evenings are an opportunity to socialise, and chat about life, the universe and everything, whilst also perusing and borrowing from OUSFG's library of over 2,400 books.
Wednesday discussion and video meetings (see below for topics) are held at 8pm
in New College Lecture Room 4 (marked "C" on
this map; or PDF).
The author talk in 7th Week will be in the New College's Conduit Room
(marked "E" on the map).
Sign up for the ousfg-announce mailing list to receive a reminder and detailed directions for each meeting.
| 11 Oct | Sunday | 1st Week | Freshers' Drinks | Drop in for obligation-free drinks and nibbles, introductions, and conversation! 3–6pm in Balliol College (map) Massey Room. Go into the college through the lodge and turn left into the second quad. Walk forwards to the building in front of you, then turn right and go to the back left hand corner. Go through the small passageway here (marked XIX), and the Massey room is on your right. |
| 14 Oct | Wednesday | 1st Week | Discussion | Desert Planet Books (or 10 books to read before you die). Discussion in New College (location to be confirmed). What are the ten SF/fantasy books most worth reading? Come along for a lively discussion and argue for your favourite book, or just for reading ideas — don't feel you have to say anything! (Discussion led by Zhifan.) |
| 21 Oct | Wednesday | 2nd Week | Discussion | Alien Evolution. Are we alone in the universe? Probably not, but why and just how not alone are we? More interestingly we'll look at what evolutionary biology can tell us about the possible courses life might take on other planets and how similar it would look to life on earth. We'll also try and evolve some aliens of our own and perhaps go onto to ask what sort of psychologies and societies might develop on alien worlds. (Discussion led by Oliver.) |
| 28 Oct | Wednesday | 3rd Week | Video | Watchmen |
| 4 Nov | Wednesday | 4th Week | Discussion | Human Enhancement. Cybernetic parts to make you stronger; drugs to make you smarter; genetic engineering to make you (or at least, your children…) healthier and happier. In this discussion we'll look at some of the more realistic ways that human bodies could be improved, how it may be done, and what science fiction has had to say on the matter. We may also debate some of the ethical issues raised — a debate that is already relevant with the use of stimulants as "brain-boosting" drugs. (Discussion led by David.) |
| 10 Nov | Tuesday | 5th Week | Special discussion | Feminism and Science Fiction. 8pm The Queen's College, Lecture Room B (there should be someone at the lodge to point you in the right direction). Discussion in collaboration with OUSU's Women's Campaign. There's no specific topic past gender and SF, but hopefully it will introduce new readers to SF and highlight the possible gender issues (or lack thereof) in SF. See the WomCam Facebook event page for more details and some possible questions to discuss. |
| 11 Nov | Wednesday | 5th Week | Video | Coraline |
| 18 Nov | Wednesday | 6th Week | Discussion | Silly Games |
| 25 Nov | Wednesday | 7th Week | Author | Frances Hardinge (one of many former OUSFG members turned famous author!), who wrote Verdigris Deep, Gullstruck Island, and the award-winning Fly by Night. 8pm in New College's Conduit Room (map). |
| 26 Nov | Thursday | 7th Week | Quiz | Oxford Geek Quiz — battle of wits and knowledge against Docsoc, Tolksoc, RPGsoc, et al. Please bring your own round of questions if you have one (don't tell anyone the answers). 8pm, St John's College, North Quad Lecture Room. |
| 29 Nov | Sunday | 8th Week | Christmas Party |
from 6:30pm in Castle Mill Common Room.
We will gather to eat festive food, play festive games (all the
werewolves wear Santa hats) and speak of festive things. Castle Mill is at the end of Roger Dudman Way. Walk down to the Oxford train station and past it down the start of the Botley road. Just under the railway bridge is a turnoff to the right (by the YMCA), this is Roger Dudman Way. Follow it down along the railway tracks and over the bridge. You should ignore the turnoff on the left to Vennit Close, but after that you will come to a big quadrangular building with a large sign for Castle Mill. The front gate will be locked but if you stand around outside someone will come get you. Or you can call Oliver on 07986858893 to retrieve you. |
| 2 Dec | Wednesday | 8th Week | Discussion | Philosophy in Science Fiction (Discussion led by Toby, our resident professional philosopher.) |
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~ousfg/misc/termcard-09mt1.html last
modified 26th November 2009 by Tim Adye, <T.J.Adye@rl.ac.uk>