The Reproduction and Speculative Futures conference (October 2024) explored how speculative fiction addresses reproduction, pregnancy, and birth, focusing on themes including environmental crises, technology, and law, alongside feminist, queer, and anti-colonial politics.

Keynote speaker Heather Latimer opened the with a talk on dystopian fiction, highlighting its critique of colonialism and reproductive control while advocating for community-based futures.

Later, panels discussed cloning, reproductive technologies, and legal contexts with conversations touching on parthenogenesis, trans-feminist reproductive justice, eco-dystopias, and the politics of reproductive rights. Presentations also featured speculative fiction and fantasy exploring themes including gendered violence, parental rights, and ecological anxieties.

During a roundtable discussion, the Future of Human Reproduction team explored how speculative design fosters new ideas and thought experiments. They also highlighted the role of literary and speculative tools in enhancing academic and public engagement.

This event took place over two days, with the first day held in person at Lancaster University and the second day conducted online.

For more details, PhD students in the English Literature and Creative Writing department at Lancaster University, Jake Street and Lucy Davies, have authored a Reproduction and Speculative Futures Conference Report.