If This Goes On (Don't Panic): Science Fiction, Fantasy & Progressive Politics

Alan Bailey
  • 5.0 (8)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Bringing hope to the world through Speculative Fiction. Interviews with Science Fiction and Fantasy writers, gamers, creators, and activists.

  1. Speculative Whiteness Part 5: This Snowflake is an Avalanche with Dr. Jordan Carroll

    MAR 16

    Speculative Whiteness Part 5: This Snowflake is an Avalanche with Dr. Jordan Carroll

    In the Fifth part of this column, we flip the script and discuss how writers can pursue equity in their writing, how to deal with problematic creators, and how Dr. Carroll deals with the toxicity of reading alt-right works, and authors who are examples of anti-fascist writing. You can purhase Speualtive Whiteness here: https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517917081/speculative-whiteness/

    18 min
  2. Horror Bugge with Premee Mohamed

    FEB 24

    Horror Bugge with Premee Mohamed

    In this episode, Alan talks to writer Premee Mohamed. They discuss imposter syndrome, awards, being caegorized as horror, the state of the horror genre, Stephen King, the correlation between social media and sales, quicksand, Premee's favorite ink, audience questions, and much more. You can find Premee Mohamed and her books here: https://premeemohamed.com/author/premee/

    1h 17m
  3. Speculative Whiteness Part 4: Whitey In Space with Dr. Jordan Carroll

    JAN 20

    Speculative Whiteness Part 4: Whitey In Space with Dr. Jordan Carroll

    In the fourth part of this column, Alan and Jordan pick up trying to understand what is happening in the minds of the alt-right, the ambiance of racism in the US, fascism in Fantasy and Horror, the lack of imagination in fascist thinking, and they begin to discuss how to evaluate the fiction you're reading.  You can purhase Speualtive Whiteness here: https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517917081/speculative-whiteness/

    21 min
  4. Uncertain Sons with Thomas Ha

    JAN 7

    Uncertain Sons with Thomas Ha

    In this episode, Alan and Cat talk to writer Thomas Ha. They discuss the effects of covid on genre, Lit RPG, cozey fiction, writing across genres, Clarkesworld Magazine, Matt Diniman, Brian Evenson, preserving the status quo, writing villains, writing children, killing children in prose, inventing monsters, Thomas' recent collection, Uncertain Sons, and much more. You can find Uncertain Sons And Other Stories here: https://undertowpublications.com/shop/uncertain-sons

    1h 16m
  5. Speculative Whiteness Part 3: MFing Nazi Info Dump with Dr. Jordan Carroll

    12/15/2025

    Speculative Whiteness Part 3: MFing Nazi Info Dump with Dr. Jordan Carroll

    In the third part of our column about the alt-right and Speculative Fiction fandom, Alan and Jordan break down a number of important concepts needed to understand the alt-right and how they view Speculative Fiction. Concepts include low time preferences, metapolitics, Archeofuturism, Faustianism, and mutant romances. we discuss the right wing and fandom and much more.

    27 min
  6. Bailey's Books: Sword, Sorcery, Science, Astronauts, AIs, Horrors, & Hurricanes

    12/05/2025

    Bailey's Books: Sword, Sorcery, Science, Astronauts, AIs, Horrors, & Hurricanes

    In this episode Alan reviews (books linked below): Double Edged Sword & Sorcery 1 published by Brackenbury Books 2024 The Walls of Shira Yulun by Dariel R.A. Quiogue Waste Flowers by Bryn Hammond How to Surf a Hurricane by Todd Medema published by Atmosphere Press 2025 Vigilance by Allen Stroud published by Flame Tree Press 2024 Sub-Liminal by Alastair Miles published by Shadow Dragon Press 2025 Unseen Gods by Justin Holley published by Flame Tree Press 2025

    14 min
  7. Hard Science Fiction with Arula Ratnakar

    11/26/2025

    Hard Science Fiction with Arula Ratnakar

    In this episode, Alan and Diane talk to writer and neuroscientist Arula Ratnakar. They discuss Phillip K. Dick, computational neursocience, hard science fiction, science and math communication, preceptions of reality, the neuroscience of neurodiversity, psychedelics, being neurodiverse in a neurotypical world, AI, Clarkesworld, evolving in public, and much more. You can find most of her fiction here: https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/?s=arula+ratnakar

    1h 50m
  8. Magic Can't Save Us with Josh Denslow

    10/27/2025

    Magic Can't Save Us with Josh Denslow

    In this episode, Alan talks to author and musician Josh Denslow. They discuss writing dialogue and movie scripts, music's influence on his writing, Marlon James, the break down of walls between speculative fiction and Literature, suprheros and comics, the importance of exploring new forms of art, Josh's novel Super Normal, living outside the US, extreme politics and family, humor in fiction, listening to music, their mutual struggle to have "favorite" bands, and Josh's new collection Magic Can't Save Us: Eighteen Tales of Likely Failure.

    1h 7m
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Bringing hope to the world through Speculative Fiction. Interviews with Science Fiction and Fantasy writers, gamers, creators, and activists.

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