Alexander Weinstein, an author of speculative fiction, will appear at Northwest Missouri State University this month as part of the University’s Distinguished Lecture Series.

The lecture, titled “Speculative Fiction in Dystopian Times,” begins at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30, in the J.W. Jones Student Union Living Room. It is free and open to the public.

Weinstein will read excerpts of his fiction in addition to addressing current issues and discussing his process of working on speculative fiction and film to address relevant topics. The event also will include a question-answer session.

“Weinstein’s work in the genre of speculative fiction asks us to imagine our own humanity through the lens of an imagined future,” Daniel Biegelson, a senior instructor of English, said. “Stories limit and expand the horizon of our thought. How can we bring about the society we want to live in if we cannot first imagine it? Speculative fiction allows us to explore and imagine alternative realities. It can help us think beyond the constraints of the present and consider what our world could become under different political or economic systems, different technologic regimes, or cultural contexts. It can turn the dial up on present trends and conditions and give us new perspectives on the world in which we live.”

Weinstein is the author of the short story collections “Universal Love” and “Children of the New World,” which was named a notable book of the year by The New York Times, NPR and Electric Literature. His fiction and interviews have appeared in Rolling Stone, World Literature Today, Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Best American Experimental Writing. His short story “Saying Goodbye to Yang” was adapted into the 2021 film “After Yang,” a winner of the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.  

Weinstein also is the founder and director of Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing.

The objective of the Distinguished Lecture Series is to enhance the academic environment through individual discipline and interdisciplinary topics. Supported by the Office of the Provost and the Student Activities Council, the series offers the Northwest campus and surrounding communities with opportunities to hear from extraordinary individuals from throughout the globe. Scholars, world travelers and leaders in their fields visit the Northwest campus to share their wisdom, insight and experiences.