Star Trek, Star Wars, and the Stories We Need - A Conversation with Dr. Amy H. Sturgis

Star Trek, Star Wars, and the Stories We Need - A Conversation with Dr. Amy H. Sturgis

May 8, 2026 · 1h 26m

About this episode

David and Dr. Amy H. Sturgis discuss the cultural significance of Star Trek and Star Wars and their impact on fandom and storytelling.

David sits down with Dr. Amy H. Sturgis, professor of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Gothic literature at Signum University and a contributor to the Hugo Award-winning podcast StarShipSofa, for a wide-ranging conversation about Star Trek, Star Wars, and the stories we need. They explore why both franchises have retained such fierce cultural grip across generations, unpacking the co-creative tradition that has defined Star Trek fandom, the danger of nostalgic and entitled fandoms, and the distinct but complementary ways the two franchises ask us to think about power, agency, and the future. The conversation also touches on Amy's two co-edited Vernon Press anthologies, the acafan identity, dark academia as a Gothic tradition, and her current recommendations across television, fiction, and music. Guest Bio Dr. Amy H. Sturgis is a professor of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Gothic literature at Signum University. She has authored or edited more than a dozen books, contributed over sixty scholarly essays, and holds a PhD in Intellectual History from Vanderbilt University. Since 2008, she has contributed her "Looking Back on Genre History" segment to the Hugo Award-winning podcast…

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