On April 2, 2025, I had the opportunity to present my talk entitled Fictional Disability in Artistic Science Fiction at the conference Science Fiction and Disabilities, hosted by the Stella Incognita group at Université Grenoble Alpes. The event was organized by Clément Pélissier and Filippo Fonio.
Header image of the article: official photograph from the conference program.
Presentation Reference:
Jessica Ragazzini, Fictional Disability in Artistic Science Fiction, paper presented at the conference Science Fiction and Disabilities, Université Grenoble Alpes, organized by Stella Incognita, April 2, 2025.
Disability, Fiction, and Art
From Crash (1996) to Alita: Battle Angel (2019), via Avatar (2009), science fiction cinema has increasingly featured characters with simulated disabilities, reflecting a growing fascination with altered, hybrid, or augmented bodies at the intersection of eroticism, power, and technology. This talk explored how photographers Helmut Newton and Joel-Peter Witkin have created fictional representations that serve as critical tools for questioning norms, vulnerability, and otherness.
A Unique Presentation
This presentation was delivered with simultaneous sign language interpretation, thanks to the incredible work of www.motspourmots.com. It was a completely new and enriching experience for me.
Reflections on Disability in Research
I had the privilege of taking part in a conference whose approach—both scientific and human—struck me as truly exceptional. The originality of its focus on “disabilities and science fiction” and the careful attention paid to the individual needs of the audience and participants—whether personal, technical, or administrative—helped foster a welcoming, intellectually stimulating, and deeply inclusive environment.