The Strategic Studies team is proud to host its debut Science Fiction Writing Competition this semester, with the winner receiving a £200 cash prize and publication of their work on the University’s website.
The writing competition is open to students of all levels and disciplines and aims to investigate conflict and competition through creative storytelling. Dr James Johnson, one of the Programme Directors of the MSc Strategic Studies programme, explains, “while we cannot precisely foresee future conflicts, fiction is a valuable tool for imagining them.
“By creating and exploring possible future scenarios, fiction helps us anticipate the outcomes of our decisions and gauge how current trends or emerging innovations might develop.”
Submissions can be made by individual authors, or by a group of authors, though only one entry per contributor is permitted. Entrants are encouraged to imagine the future and develop plausible scenarios about potential conflicts and national security challenges. They can also explore the past, using historical fiction to explore alternative histories.
All entries should create engaging narratives that reveal unexpected insights and add realistic depth to contemporary visions of future conflict. Those who wish to enter may consider the following topics for their submission:
- What technologies will shape the battlefield and the warfighter in the foreseeable future?
- How might states respond to sudden increases in aggression from state and non-state actors (terrorists, criminals, state proxies, etc.) and how might emerging technologies like AI, autonomy, and cyberweapons affect states' responses?
- What role will information, including AI-enabled misinformation, operations take in shaping or manifesting the climate of warfare?
- How might states manage humanitarian campaigns such as virulent outbreaks, natural disasters, pandemics, or technological breakthroughs such as superintelligent AI in the next 20-30 years?
- How different will future conflicts look when quantum technologies or new energy paradigms become as commonplace as smartphones? Or when algorithms decide military manoeuvres or even diplomatic forays?
All submitted entries will be judged blind by Strategic Studies staff, who will choose a shortlisted selection of essays for the final round of judging. Finalists will be judged by Professor Timothy Baker, Personal Chair in Contemporary Literature and sci-fi author, with the winner being announced in early 2025.
The winning author(s) will receive a £200 cash prize, and the winning essay will be published on the University’s website and social media networks. Some non-winning essays may also be selected for publication.
How to Enter:
Entries must be submitted via email to james.johnson@abdn.ac.uk with email subject “Strategic Studies Sci-Fi Writing Competition.” The deadline for entry is 6th December 2024.
Entry Requirements:
- Submissions should be 1000 - 3000 words, including sources/footnotes
- Text must be double-spaced throughout, using standard 10 or 12-point font, and submitted as a Word document
- Your title page should include the total word count. Do not include author name(s) on the title page or within the text
- Submissions must be original and not previously published online or in print, or being considered for publication elsewhere
- Only one entry per contributor. Group submissions are permissible
- Submissions will be assessed for originality. Any use of GenAI, such as ChatGPT, must be attributed
You may find the following articles and resources useful when developing your entry:
- UK Ministry of Defence – Stories from Tomorrow: Exploring new technology through useful fiction
- United States Marine Corps – Security Environment Forecast (2030-2045)
- Strategy Bridge – Science Fiction and the Strategist 3.0
- Copywriter Collective – The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Creative Writing
- European Leadership Network – The Challenges of AI Command and Control
- War on the Rocks – AI, Autonomy, and the Risk of Nuclear War