acknowledgements

This book originated in the Calgary Institute for the Humanities’ forty-second annual Community Seminar, “The Final Frontier: Mythologies of Outer Space.” The idea for the seminar came from the CIH’s Advisory Board, which included Heather Bourne, Ron Bond, Jackie Flanagan, David Holub, Amanda Koyama, Tony Luppino, Jim McNeil, Naomi Potter, and Nancy Tousley. Many thanks to them for their input, guidance, and support of the project from beginning to end.

At the University of Calgary Press, Brian Scrivener, Helen Hajnoczky, Alison Cobra, and Melina Cusano have all been very supportive of the project and our vision for the book; thanks to Glenn Mielke for the beautiful design.

At the CIH, Sean Lindsay, CIH coordinator, provided able administrative support at every stage of the process. The editors are especially grateful to the original panelists of the seminar, as well as to all of the other contributors to the book, for being co-operative and patient with our many requests, as the outline of the book came into shape. A heartfelt thank-you to all of the writers, artists, and organizations who allowed their work to be included. And finally, the editors would like to acknowledge that the University of Calgary is situated on the traditional territories and under the traditional skies of the First Peoples of Treaty 7, as well as the home of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 and 6.