Podcast
Worlds Beyond Worlds
Hosted by Patrick J. D'Silva, PhD · EN
Home for interviews relating to my essays exploring the intersections of religion and science fiction, ableism and racism, and alternatives to traditional education.
worldbeyondworlds.substack.com
worldbeyondworlds.substack.com
6episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Worlds Beyond Worlds - Interview with Ryan Kirk
Apr 1300:50:15Tap to summarizeRyan Kirk on Building a Fantasy Career, Writing Consistency, and Supporting AuthorsHost Patrick J, D'Silva introduces a Worlds Beyond Worlds interview with Twin Cities science fiction and fantasy author Ryan Kirk, noting mid-episode audio issues on Patrick’s track while Ryan remains clear. Ryan recounts stumbling into novel-writing through National Novel Writing Month, finishing a first “trash” draft, then writing a 120,000-word novel that self-published successfully on Amazon and launched a hybrid career; his breakout book was Night. They discuss writing in quiet early/late hours, Ryan’s flexible daily process (handwriting, typing, dictation) and goal of 2,000–3,000 words a day, emphasizing consistent small effort. Ryan cites influences including Fonda Lee, The Count of Monte Cristo, and Ender’s Game, and outlines business challenges in a saturated market. He explains how readers can best support authors via direct sales/Kickstarters and word-of-mouth, summarizes his standalone The Last Fang of God and its rune-based divine power system, and previews a new fantasy-thriller series slated for March and June. They end by exploring why fiction helps make sense of life and how readers co-create meaning with authors.00:00 Audio Disclaimer00:52 Podcast Launch Intro02:16 Ryan Writing Origin03:34 NaNoWriMo Breakthrough06:03 First Book Success08:08 Influences and Favorites10:24 Daily Writing Routine12:56 Consistency Over Sprints16:04 Publishing Market Challenges18:55 How Readers Support Authors23:18 Father Daughter Fantasy24:55 Gods Dreams and Devotion26:12 Runes as Divine Language28:32 Standalone vs Series Pressure31:06 Stakes Spoilers and Media Savvy33:06 Cozy Fantasy and Reading Taste36:18 Books as Co Created Worlds37:53 New Thriller Fantasy Series39:36 Why Start a Podcast43:09 Fiction as Safe Insight48:59 Letting Stories Go50:00 Closing Thanks and Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit worldbeyondworlds.substack.com
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Worlds Beyond Worlds: Retrospective on Autonomy in Learning series
Apr 301:06:04Tap to summarizeThis was such an amazing experience discussing autonomy in learning with my old students. Thank you for listening! If you want to be the first to know about new content, please consider subscribing using the box below. Feel free to leave a comment! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit worldbeyondworlds.substack.com
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Worlds Beyond Worlds: Gaming, Coloniality, and Critiquing Our Darlings
Mar 2701:28:11Tap to summarizeWorlds Beyond Worlds Ep. 3: Gaming, Coloniality, and Critiquing Our DarlingsIn this episode of Worlds Beyond Worlds, host Patrick J. D'Silva talks with former DU students James, Andrew, and Zane about his Spring 2025 course on race, religion, and science fiction, with a special emphasis on gaming. James, now an adjunct at Regis University, describes adapting the course’s discussion-and-reflection structure for his own class on sacred encounters. Andrew and Zane, both Joint Doctoral Program PhD students, reflect on key course readings such as Charles Mills’ “The Wretched of Middle Earth” and David Higgins’ Reverse Colonization, and highlight Indigenous futurism as transformative. They discuss final projects: James’ creative Elder Scrolls narrative critiquing imperial religious bans, Zane’s Warhammer 40K paper on Anglo-Protestant anti-Catholic tropes and fascist appropriation, and Andrew’s BioShock Infinite analysis linking baptism, redemption, and colonial violence.Follow Zane on Substack: https://theosophia.substack.com/00:00 Episode Setup01:41 James Intro and Teaching04:15 Sacred Encounters Course07:28 Andrew Intro and Fandom09:39 Zane Intro and Ministry14:04 Course Structure Reflections14:47 Zane on Reverse Colonization18:29 Andrew on Tolkien and Race23:21 James on Indigenous Futurism34:06 Final Project Transition34:35 Elder Scrolls Creative Project41:26 Masters Final Triumph41:55 Orc Mage Backstory44:13 Creative Outlet Blend45:10 Zane Warhammer Focus48:14 Catholic Gothic Continuity50:43 Alt Right Aesthetics57:39 Andrew Bioshock Thesis01:01:19 Redemption And Decolonization01:07:56 Publishing And Conferences01:11:50 Course Takeaways01:20:44 Fiction As Cultural Product01:26:04 Season Wrap And Farewell This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit worldbeyondworlds.substack.com
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Worlds Beyond Worlds - Afrofuturism, Autonomy, and Utopia
Mar 2000:51:54Tap to summarizeAfrofuturism, Autonomy, and Utopia: Robert Munson and Kirsten Dahlquist on Wakanda and EarthseedPatrick J. D'Silva hosts Worlds Beyond Worlds and continues conversations with former students from his Race, Religion, and Science Fiction course, joined by DU/Iliff doctoral students Kirsten Dahlquist and Robert Munson, whose creative finals engaged Afrofuturism. They discuss why they took the course, emphasizing science fiction fandom, life-giving pedagogy, and research interests in Black imagination. They reflect on the course’s autonomy-based structure—choosing among many materials and open-ended discussions—its initial anxiety due to academic trust issues, and how it became generative. New or challenging takeaways include racial critique of Tolkien via Charles Mills’ “Wretched of Middle Earth,” debates about utopia and who defines it, and recognizing problematic elements of media while still enjoying. Robert describes a poetry chapbook/zine on Wakanda as refuge and praxis; Kirsten describes a guided “God is Change” vision journal inspired by Octavia Butler’s Earthseed and adrienne maree brown’s Emergent Strategy. They compare creative work to research papers and close by describing the course as interrogating futures, absences, and assumptions through curiosity.For more of Robert's work, you can follow him on Substack: Musings from a Broken Heart00:00 Welcome and Setup00:36 Meet Kirsten and Robert01:28 Why They Took the Class03:50 Life Giving Coursework05:27 Course Design and Autonomy08:34 Trust and Classroom Safety15:50 New and Challenging Takeaways20:30 Middle Earth and Racialization25:36 Critique While Enjoying27:40 Politics in Pop Culture29:31 Final Project Options30:25 Robert’s Wakanda Zine36:56 Kirsten’s Vision Journal42:41 Creative vs Paper Labor47:52 What the Course Was51:11 Closing and Next Episode This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit worldbeyondworlds.substack.com
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Worlds Beyond Worlds: Mushrooms and De-Centering Our Selves
Mar 1301:15:23Tap to summarizeMushroom Short Stories, Nonlinear Thinking, and De-Centering Our Selves: Former Students Reflect on Race, Religion, and Science FictionPatrick J. D'Silva introduces the Worlds Beyond Worlds podcast with the first of three conversations with former students from his course “Race, Religion, and Science Fiction,” focused on both the course’s themes and what it felt like to have autonomy in learning. He reunites with Kim, Josh, and Gus, who share their academic backgrounds and why they enrolled, then discuss the course’s flexible structure—choosing readings from curated options, shaping discussions, and using alternative formats like podcasts—in contrast to rigid, top-down classes that can penalize students for life circumstances. They describe how units and peer perspectives reframed topics like cyberpunk, disability, and worldbuilding, and they explain their final creative projects: Kim’s mushroom-based fiction, Josh’s non-linear story about identity, language, and land, and Gus’s narrative critiquing Christian worldviews and oppression. The episode previews a next conversation with Kirsten and Robert on Afrofuturism, Parable of the Sower, and Wakanda.00:00 Welcome and Setup01:15 Course Origins03:37 Meet Kim05:03 Meet Josh07:44 Meet Gus10:29 Autonomy Course Design12:24 Student Reflections21:33 Suffering and Access24:53 Kim Choose Adventure30:18 New Perspectives Units32:15 Disability in Star Trek35:59 Final Project Options37:09 UN Essay Options37:52 Creative Project Examples39:13 Kim’s Mushroom Fiction43:23 Teacher Reflection on Creativity45:49 Josh’s Nonlinear Story49:24 Ritual Language and Identity57:07 Gus Decentering Self01:00:10 Aliens and Human Consumption01:04:19 Open Ended Learning01:08:09 Course Takeaways Roundtable01:13:01 Closing Thanks and Next Episode This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit worldbeyondworlds.substack.com
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Worlds Beyond Worlds: Origin Stories
Mar 600:59:43Tap to summarizePatrick J. D’Silva (Worlds Beyond Worlds/WBW) and Josh Perez (Sweet & Condensed) discuss what motivated Patrick’s course on race, religion, and science fiction and how it evolved from an upper-level “Religion and Science Fiction” class into a special-topics course explicitly centered on race.Patrick describes key themes—defining the human, encountering the other, and how race, gender, sexuality, and disability are woven through speculative fiction—covering topics such as racism in Lord of the Rings, Star Wars/Star Trek, Indigenous Futurism, Afrofuturism/Africanfuturism, cyberpunk (Neuromancer), monsters (Frankenstein), and Jediism as a fiction-based religious movement.He explains his pedagogy, emphasizing student autonomy (co-editing the syllabus, choosing evaluation methods, flexible formats, and deadlines) and unEssays” (creative projects such as illustrated journals, roleplaying games, cookbooks, audio tracks, paintings, zines, and original fiction), shaped by his teaching experience, parenting, and the pandemic.They also discuss why film/TV are central to teaching today—visual media’s cultural dominance, immersive “magic,” merchandising/participation, and the impact of on-screen representation.Time Stamps: 00:28 Why This Conversation Now02:37 Course Origins and Big Questions04:34 Race and Futurisms Units06:48 Student-Led Syllabus and Grading08:30 unEssays Creative Projects10:47 Rethinking Traditional Pedagogy13:09 Parenthood and Student Needs15:09 Pandemic Compassion and Flexibility17:45 Holistic Learning and Autonomy23:32 Movies as Magic and Orientation26:54 Why Film in the Classroom27:59 Students Struggling to Read30:17 Reading vs Watching31:16 Video Culture Shift33:27 Teaching Without Ego35:34 Frankenstein Revisited37:44 Movie Magic Immersion41:45 Representation On Screen46:35 Student Creative Projects50:22 Improvising In The Classroom52:07 Fandom As Religion56:38 Wrap Up And Plugs This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit worldbeyondworlds.substack.com
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