81st World Science Fiction Convention

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2023 Chengdu, the 81st World Science Fiction Convention
Statusfinished
GenreScience fiction
Dates18–22 October 2023
Location(s)Chengdu
CountryChina
Websiteen.chengduworldcon.com

The 81st World Science Fiction Convention (

World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) asking it to revoke the bid in protest of the ongoing persecution of Uyghurs in the western Chinese province of Xinjiang.[3]

The

Hugo Awards presented at the convention became the subject of further controversy in the months following the convention. Statistics about the voting, normally released the night of the awards, were withheld for three months. After the release, voters and nominated authors discovered that four works, including two highly favored to win, had instead been ruled ineligible. The WSFS official responsible would not explain why, even after having to apologize for insulting remarks made to those who questioned him about the decisions on social media. He and two other officials subsequently resigned. Critics speculated that either the awards committee was covering for a serious mistake in counting the ballots, or that it had yielded to political pressure from the Chinese Communist Party;[3]
later disclosures pointed to the latter.

Site selection

See also: Worldcon § Site selection

The following committees announced bids for hosting the convention:[4]

  • Chengdu 2023[5]
  • Memphis in 2023[6] (cancelled in October 2021[7])
  • Nice 2023[8] (cancelled in July 2020[9])
  • Winnipeg in 2023[10]

The site was selected by members of the 79th World Science Fiction Convention.[11]

Over 100 authors, including Hugo winners and Uyghur writers, signed an open letter in March 2022 calling for the hosting to be reconsidered due to ongoing human rights violations in the Uyghur region.[12] The choice of location was also criticized due to the effects of the Chinese government's censorship regime and the exclusion of authors publicly critical of human rights in China.[13]

After Chengdu was selected, the organizers of the Winnipeg bid pivoted to bid for the 2023 NASFiC, at which they were successful.

Participants

Guests of Honor

Awards

Main article: Hugo Award

The World Science Fiction Society administers and presents the Hugo Awards,[14] the oldest and most noteworthy award for science fiction. Selection of the recipients is by vote of the Worldcon members. Categories include novels and short fiction, artwork, dramatic presentations, and various professional and fandom activities.[14][15]

Other awards may be presented at Worldcon at the discretion of the individual convention committee. This has often included the national SF awards of the host country, such as the Japanese

Anticipation in 2009. The Astounding Award for Best New Writer and the Sidewise Award, though not sponsored by the Worldcon, are usually presented, as well as the Chesley Awards, the Prometheus Award, and others.[16]

The winners were:

Category Winner[17] Notes
Best Novel Nettle & Bone, by T. Kingfisher
Best Novella Where the Drowned Girls Go, by Seanan McGuire
Best Novelette "The Space-Time Painter," by Hai Ya
Best Short Story "Rabbit Test," by Samantha Mills The author has since disavowed the win due to the subsequent ballot controversy.[18]
Best Series Children of Time series, by Adrian Tchaikovsky The author has since disavowed the win due to the subsequent ballot controversy.[19]
Best Graphic Story Cyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams, by Bartosz Sztybor, Filipe Andrade, Alessio Fioriniello, Roman Titov, Krzysztof Ostrowski
Best Related Work Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes, by Rob Wilkins
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form Everything Everywhere All at Once, written by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Sheinert
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form The Expanse: "Babylon’s Ashes", written by Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck, Naren Shankar, directed by Breck Eisner
Best Professional Editor, Short Form Neil Clarke
Best Professional Editor, Long Form Lindsey Hall
Best Professional Artist Enzhe Zhao
Best Semiprozine Uncanny Magazine
Best Fanzine Zero Gravity Newspaper, by RiverFlow and Ling Shizhen
Best Fancast Hugo, Girl!, by Haley Zapal, Amy Salley, Lori Anderson, and Kevin Anderson
Best Fan Writer Chris M. Barkley
Best Fan Artist Richard Man
Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book Akata Woman, by Nnedi Okorafor Presented by the WSFS
Astounding Award for Best New Writer Travis Baldree Presented by Dell Magazines

Ballot controversy

The voting statistics for the Hugo Awards,

better source needed
]

Commenters on the

whistleblower.[24][25][26][27] Additionally, an unknown number of ballots from Chinese voters were rejected because the award administrators considered them to be too similar to a recommendations list published by Science Fiction World, and thus equivalent to a slate. Locus noted that this occurred even though "there is no provision in the WSFS constitution to remove slates from the ballot".[28]

Based on complaints about the 2023 Hugo award process and official statements made about those complaints, Worldcon Intellectual Property (WIP), the non-profit organization that holds the

service marks for the World Science Fiction Society, censured McCarty and two individuals who presided over the Hugo Administration Committee of the Chengdu Worldcon. WIP also reprimanded the chair of the WIP board of directors. Both the director of WIP and chair of the WIP board of directors resigned.[29][30][26]

In February 2024, as a result of the controversy, Esther MacCallum-Stewart, chair of the 2024 Worldcon, to be held in Glasgow, announced the following commitments for the 2024 Hugo Awards: the reasons for any disqualifications of potential finalists will be published no later than April 2024; the full voting results, nominating statistics and voting statistics will be published immediately following the awards ceremony on 11 August 2024; and immediately following the awards ceremony on 11 August 2024, the Hugo administration subcommittee will publish a log explaining any decisions that they have made in interpreting the WSFS Constitution.[31][32][33]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Chengdu Wins the Bid to Host 81st World Science Fiction Convention (2023 Worldcon)". WFMZ.com. 2021-12-20. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  2. ^ Mike Glyer (2021-01-19). "Chengdu Worldcon Changes Dates to October 2023". File 770. Archived from the original on 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  3. ^ a b c d Morgan, Adam (January 27, 2024). "Inside the Censorship Scandal That Rocked Sci-Fi and Fantasy's Biggest Awards". Esquire. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  4. World Science Fiction Society. 2016-05-15. Archived
    from the original on 2018-08-23. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  5. ^ "Chengdu 2023". Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2023-02-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Memphis in 2023". Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  7. ^ Mike Glyer (2021-10-18). "Memphis In 2023 Worldcon Bid Has Folded". File 770. Archived from the original on 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  8. ^ "Nice 2023". Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  9. ^ Mike Glyer (2020-07-25). "Nice in 2023 Worldcon Bid Folds". File 770. Archived from the original on 2021-12-08. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  10. ^ "Winnipeg in 2023". Archived from the original on 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  11. World Science Fiction Society. 2016-05-15. Archived
    from the original on 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  12. ^ Brown, Lauren (14 March 2022). "Authors come out against China as 2023 WorldCon host". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  13. ^
    ISSN 0261-3077. Archived
    from the original on 2024-01-24. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  14. ^ a b "Article 3: Hugo Awards". WSFS Constitution. World Science Fiction Society. 2008. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2009.
  15. ^ Franklin, Jon (October 30, 1977). "Star roars: this year's champs in science fiction". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD. p. D5. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  16. ^ a b "Awards". Nippon2007: 65th World Science Fiction Convention. Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2009.
  17. ^ "The 2023 Hugo Award Winners Are Here". Gizmodo. 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  18. ^ ""Rabbit Test" unwins the Hugo". SAMANTHA MILLS. 2024-02-18. Archived from the original on 2024-02-18. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  19. ^ Tchaikovsky, Adrian. "A Statement on the 2023 Hugo Awards". adriantchaikovsky.com. Archived from the original on 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  20. ^ Standlee, Kevin (20 January 2024). "2023 Nominating and Final Ballot Statistics Published". The Hugo Awards. Archived from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  21. ^ a b Moher, Aidan (20 January 2024). "Astrolabe 36: Panic! At The Hugos". Archived from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  22. ^ a b Gennis, Sadie; Polo, Susana (24 January 2024). "Hugo Awards under fire over censorship accusations, and SFF writers want answers". Polygon. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  23. ^ Jones, Heather. "A Comparison of Hugo Nomination Distribution Statistics". Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  24. ^ Cole, Samantha (15 February 2024). "Leaked Emails Show Hugo Awards Self-Censoring to Appease China". 404 Media. Archived from the original on 15 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  25. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived
    from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  26. ^ a b Alter, Alexandra (February 17, 2024). "Some Authors Were Left Out of Awards Held in China. Leaked Emails Show Why". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  27. ^ Chris M. Barkley, Jason Sanford (14 February 2024). "The 2023 Hugo Awards: A Report on Censorship and Exclusion". File 770. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  28. Locus Online
    . March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  29. ^ "McCarty, Standlee, and Others Censured or Reprimanded". Locus Online. January 31, 2024. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  30. ^ Stewart, Sophia (February 1, 2024). "Resignations, Censures Follow in Wake of Hugo Awards Controversy". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  31. ^ "Glasgow 2024 Hugo Awards Statement". Glasgow 2024 Worldcon. 15 February 2024. Archived from the original on 15 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  32. ^ Stewart, Sophia (February 16, 2024). "Glasgow Worldcon Chair Vows Transparency Following Chengdu Hugos Censorship". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  33. ^ "Glasgow Worldcon Apologizes for 'Damage' Caused by 2023 Hugo Awards Controversy". Gizmodo. February 15, 2024. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.

External links

Preceded by
Chicago, Illinois
, United States (2022)
 List of Worldcons
81st World Science Fiction Convention
in Chengdu, China (2023) 		Succeeded by
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