Extrapolation (journal)

Extrapolation is an academic journal covering speculative fiction. It was established in 1959 by Thomas D. Clareson and was published at the College of Wooster. In 1979 it moved to the Kent State University Press. A decade later, Clareson stepped down as editor-in-chief and was succeeded by Donald M. Hassler of the KSU English Department. In 2002 the journal was transferred to the University of Texas at Brownsville. At that time Donald M. Hassler became executive editor, and the position of editor was filled by Javier A. Martinez of UTB/TSC's Department of English. In 2007 Hassler retired and the current editors are Martinez, Andrew M. Butler (Canterbury Christ Church University), Michael Levy (University of Wisconsin-Stout), Wendy Pearson (University of Western Ontario), and John Rieder (University of Hawaii).

Extrapolation was the first journal to publish academic work on science fiction and fantasy. It covers all areas of speculative culture, including print, film, television, comic books, and video games, and particularly encourages papers which consider popular texts within their larger cultural context. The journal publishes papers from a wide variety of critical approaches including literary criticism, Utopian studies, genre criticism, feminist theory, critical race studies, queer theory, and postcolonial theory. It is interested in promoting dialogue among scholars working within a number of traditions and in encouraging the serious study of popular culture.

Extrapolation appears three times a year.