For citation:
Kyrchanoff, M. W. (2024). Reflection of Post-Economic Problems in Science Fiction Series “Star Trek” and “Babylon 5”. AlterEconomics, 21(3), 619–640. https://doi.org/10.31063/AlterEconomics/2024.21-3.10
Abstract:
The article examines “Star Trek” and “Babylon 5” as components of American political culture and collective memory, focusing on their portrayal of economic issues. It aims to analyze how economic ideas are depicted in science fiction films and how they are absorbed into mass culture to fit the needs of a consumer society. The study draws on interdisciplinary historiography and economic theory, integrating insights from economic and cultural anthropology as well as sociology. Its novelty lies in analyzing how economic and social issues are perceived and how alien economic development is portrayed in the visual narratives of science fiction series. The analysis focuses on how these series represent economic experiences and social contradictions, such as inequality and development disparities in American society. It also explores the political and ideological dimensions of the economy as a driver of social and cultural transformation, particularly amid economic globalization and growing criticism of capitalist rationality. Additionally, the study considers how economic development is understood through collective memory, with socio-economic traumas from modernization and globalization intensifying inequality and disparities. The study further explores how “Star Trek” and “Babylon 5” shape perceptions of economic issues in U.S. society by promoting the idea of a socially responsible economy. The author argues that these series envision a post-capitalist economy grounded in humanism, progress, and development. In conclusion, the findings suggest that “Star Trek” and “Babylon 5” serve as cultural mechanisms for the assimilation and reevaluation of economic concepts, addressing collective traumas and ideological contradictions as society balances social responsibility with market dynamics.
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