Between intergalactic travel and space-time: Space Is the Place and Kindred

Abstract

This article addresses the concept of afrofuturism and critically examines two works: the film Space
Is the Place (1974), directed by John Coney, and the novel Kindred (1979) by Octavia Butler. The
methodology adopted is bibliographic, relying on afrofuturism theorists such as Ytasha L. Womack
and Mark Dery, as well as incorporating perspectives from post-colonial thinkers and african
historians to explore the intersection between literature, african history, and the african diaspora.
The primary goal is to discuss how the african past is reclaimed in narratives that envision utopian
futures in the face of a dystopian past marked by slavery and displacement. To achieve this, we
structure our reflection into three sections; in the first, we discuss the concept of Afrofuturism; in
the second, we provide a critical reading of Space Is the Place from the perspective of intergalactic
travels and belonging; in the third, we engage in a discussion of Kindred focusing on the science
fiction genre, time machines, and power.