Star trek and history

by Daniel Bernardi

Star Trek and History examines the representational and narrative functions of race in Star Trek and explores how the meaning of race in the science fiction series has been facilitated and constrained by creative and network decision-making, by genre, by intertextuality, and by the audience. The author interprets how the changing social and political movements of the times have influenced the production and meaning of Trek texts and the ways in which the ongoing series negotiated and reflected these turbulent histories. Most significantly, he tells us why is it important for readers to better understand the articulation of race in this enduring icon of American popular culture.