Just announced!
Participants in the Academic Track will have a chance at winning a “Best Academic Track Paper” cash prize from The Heinlein Society. This $250 prize will be awarded based on the presentations as given at Worldcon 76. Given this new opportunity, we will extend the submission deadline to March 1st.
Science fiction always plays a part in recreating our world and directing civilization's progress. While much SF takes place in a hypothetical "future," the entire body of speculative literature influences and interacts with our world—suggesting potentialities, solutions, organizational methods, alternative cultures, and paths to follow or avoid. In that spirit, the 76th World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) in San José, California has chosen "Make the Future" for its overarching theme.
The Academic Track Committee welcomes proposals for scholarly presentations, especially those that study content tied to our "Make the Future" convention theme, such as the following examples:
Worldcon 76 has chosen to reduce Jonathan Del Arroz's membership status from attending to supporting. He will not be allowed to attend the convention in person. Mr. Del Arroz's supporting membership preserves his rights to participate in the Hugo Awards nomination and voting process. He was informed earlier today of our decision via email.
We have taken this step because he has made it clear that he fully intends to break our code of conduct. We take that seriously. Worldcon 76 strives to be an inclusive place in fandom, as difficult as that can be, and racist and bullying behavior is not acceptable at our Worldcon. This expulsion is one step towards eliminating such behavior and was not taken lightly. The senior staff and board are in agreement about the decision and it is final. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to share them via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
An important reminder: if you wish to nominate works for the 2018 Hugo Awards, you must be a qualified member of the World Science Fiction Society by December 31, 2017.
(To clarify: this is just to qualify to *nominate* for the Hugos. To vote on the final ballot you must be a supporting or attending member of Worldcon 76. Nominations will not actually open until early 2018)
There are 3 ways you can qualify as a member to nominate works:
(This also qualifies you to vote on the final ballot.)Don't miss your chance to nominate! Register as a member today!
Note: as mentioned above, to vote on the final ballot for the 2018 Hugo Awards, you must be a supporting or attending member of the 2018 World Science Fiction Convention, Worldcon 76 in San Jose, before the final voting deadline.
On Saturday, December 2, Worldcon 76 in San Jose and Dublin 2019: An Irish Worldcon (the 76th and 77th World Science Fiction Conventions) issued the following joint announcement:
The Hugo Awards, presented first in 1953 and annually since 1955, are science fiction’s most prestigious award, and one of the World Science Fiction Convention’s unique and distinguished institutions.
Just this summer, the Hugo Awards were recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running science fiction award.
Since 1993, Worldcon committees have had the option of awarding Retrospective Hugo Awards for past Worldcon years (1939 onwards) where they had not been presented a multiple of 25 years prior to the contemporary convention, with the exception of the hiatus during World War II when no Worldcon was convened.
This summer, however, a revision to the rules was ratified which gives Worldcon 76 in San Jose and Dublin 2019: An Irish Worldcon an opportunity which, if neglected, won’t return for another quarter century.
With that opportunity in mind, we are pleased to announce that Worldcon 76 will be presenting the 1943 and Dublin 2019 the 1944 Retrospective Hugo Awards during their respective conferences:
Worldcon 76 in San Jose invites you on the evening of August 16, 2018, to walk the red carpet back through time to a 1943 Worldcon that never was, and celebrate with other fans the works of 1942.
Dublin 2019, An Irish Worldcon is planning a First Night extravaganza, combining Opening Ceremonies and the Retro Hugos, celebrating the past, present and future of both the genre and Worldcon.
During those tumultuous years, there was no shortage of speculative fiction, including the introductory versions of works destined to become classics. Live and animated cinematic works of all lengths provided escape to people around the world.
We invite you now to join us on a brief visual tour of those years, some of the marvelous, the strange, the terrifying and the wonderful works of genre, and help us select the Retro Hugos for works of 1942 and 1943.
As we make our future tomorrow, so too we can celebrate these Visions of Future Past.
"World Science Fiction Society", "WSFS", "World Science Fiction Convention", "Worldcon", "NASFiC" and "Hugo Award" are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society. You can contact the WSFS Mark Protection Committee at mpc@wsfs.org.
