An Argument for Latinx Speculative Fiction Book Clubs

The aim of this dissertation is to examine how a Latinx speculative fiction book club can actas a figured world allowing individuals, including myself, to self-author their identities, especiallyLatinx identity in an intersectional way to other identities. Specifically I argue that the construction ofthe book club acts as a figured world, (Holland et. al., 1998), that allows for navigation of identity anda recognition of similar moves that the characters perform within the texts of Donna Barba Higuera’s(2021) The Last Cuentista and Romina Garber’s (2020) Lobizona. Examining these texts and bookclubs as a construction of figured worlds (Holland et al., 1998) I argue then reveals potential stockstories, allowing for characters and readers to present counterstories (Martinez, 2014; 2020) to createan epistemic friction (Medina, 2017) that allows for reauthoring of one’s own identities. In particular,I argue that Latinx young adult speculative fiction is particularly suited to defamiliarizing (Schlak,2018) stock stories as well as acting as a critical fiction (Medina, 2008) for Latinx identity, in whichcharacters are constantly moving through a Borderlands (Anzaldúa, 1987/2012). Throughout myanalysis of the texts as well as the book club, I argue for understanding the authoring of identities asconstructed from a larger national level or field as well as navigation of these identities within thefigured world and individuals themselves. The conclusions I reach are that there is a need for Latinxspeculative fiction, for LaCtic scholarship within speculative fiction, for affinity groups for Latinxparticipants, and that there is a potential to reframe texts as a series of figured worlds in order to mapthe construction of identity throughout the texts. Moreover, I make the argument that LatCrit theoristsand scholarships combined with Holland et al. (1998) allows for a broader and more nuanced readingof Latinx identity within texts and the book club. The dissertation as follows is also a navigation andargument for my own Latinx identity and understanding.