Geopolitics of the fictional: Vernacular and Neocolonial imaginaries in Colombian and Indian science fiction

This chapter explores sociotechnical imaginaries by analysing four short stories of science fiction: two from Colombia and two from India. As a literary genre, science fiction engages with the complexity of temporality and helps us comprehend our positioning in the present and the ability to imagine otherwise. Our work involves engaging with science fiction as a mode of postdigital speculation, providing a creative means to explore the geopolitics of (educational) imaginaries in these two Southern countries. By engaging with these imaginations, we can identify and differentiate between vernacular and neocolonial imaginaries. By vernacular, we understand those imaginaries that transcend the coloniality of power inherent to these two countries. Neocolonial imaginaries refer to those shared within the Western development agenda, often originating from northern countries and multilateral agencies. Working with Southern science fiction, the chapter contributes to the conversation about emancipatory postdigital educational futures.