But , they are often called science fiction today .
Science fiction studies has a long history dating back to the turn of the 20th century , but it was not until later that science fiction studies solidified as a discipline with the publication of the academic journals Extrapolation ( 1959 ) , Foundation - The International Review of Science Fiction ( 1972 ) , and Science Fiction Studies ( 1973 ) , and the establishment of the oldest organizations devoted to the study of science fiction , the Science Fiction Research Association and the Science Fiction Foundation , in 1970 . The field has grown considerably since the 1970s with the establishment of more journals , organizations , and conferences with ties to the science fiction scholarship community , and science fiction degree-granting programs such as those offered by the University of Liverpool and Kansas University .