"Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is a subgenre of science fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed."
A type of science fiction that explores societies that have arisen after catastrophic events such as nuclear war, asteroid impact, or environmental collapse.
Post-apocalyptic worldbuilding: The practice of creating believable and immersive fictional worlds that have been affected by catastrophic events.
Survival tactics and skills: The techniques and knowledge required to survive in a world without modern amenities such as electricity, running water, and food storage.
Psychological effects of catastrophe: The impact of traumatic events on the psyche of individuals and communities, and how these experiences can shape their beliefs, values, and behaviors.
Exploration of different types of disasters: The varied catastrophic events that can result in the collapse of civilization, such as pandemics, nuclear wars, natural disasters, and alien invasions.
Characterization in post-apocalyptic fiction: The art of creating complex and relatable characters that are forced to confront extreme circumstances and adapt to a new reality.
Societal hierarchies and power dynamics: How power and privilege are distributed in post-apocalyptic societies, and how these dynamics can shape social hierarchy and relationships between groups.
Technology in post-apocalyptic fiction: The role of technology in a world without modern amenities, and how it can be salvaged, repurposed, and even re-invented.
Ideology and belief systems: How people in post-apocalyptic societies form new belief systems, religions, and ideologies to cope with the challenges of their new reality.
Nature and ecology: How the natural world is affected by catastrophic events and how it might change in a post-apocalyptic world.
Visual aesthetics: The distinct visual styles and motifs associated with post-apocalyptic fiction, such as ruined cities, scavenged artifacts, makeshift weapons, and tribal fashion.
Nuclear Apocalypse: This type of post-apocalyptic fiction involves the destruction and aftermath of a nuclear war or disaster, where radiation exposure, scarcity of resources, and devastation are at the forefront of the story.
Zombie Apocalypse: This type of fiction involves a world where a virus or disease has turned most of the population into zombies, and the remaining humans must survive in a world overrun by the undead.
Climate Apocalypse: This type of post-apocalyptic fiction is set in a world where climate change has caused catastrophic events like floods, droughts, and extreme weather, which have made the world uninhabitable or difficult to survive in.
Alien Invasion: This type of fiction is about a world where aliens have invaded Earth, and the remaining humans must form alliances and fight to take back their planet.
Economic Collapse: This type of post-apocalyptic fiction focuses on the after-effects of an economic meltdown, where societies have crumbled, and resources are scarce.
Pandemic Apocalypse: Similar to a zombie apocalypse, this type of fiction involves a world where a pandemic has spread, wiping out most of the global population.
Post-Industrial Apocalypse: This type of fiction is set in a world where the world's industries and technologies have collapsed, leading to the breakdown of societies.
Infinite Regression Apocalypse: This type of post-apocalyptic fiction is about a world repeating itself over and over again, where the same events occur repeatedly.
Robot Apocalypse: This type of fiction is set in a world where robots have taken over, and the remaining humans are forced to survive in a world controlled by machines.
Cosmic Apocalypse: This type of post-apocalyptic fiction involves a world where cosmic events, such as asteroid impacts or solar flares, have destroyed most of humanity, leaving those who survived to fight for resources in a changed world.
"The apocalypse event may be climatic, astronomical, destructive, medical, end time, or any other scenario in which the outcome is apocalyptic."
"The story may involve attempts to prevent an apocalypse event, deal with the impact and consequences of the event itself, or it may be post-apocalyptic, set after the event."
"The time may be directly after the catastrophe, focusing on the psychology of survivors, or considerably later, often including that the existence of pre-catastrophe civilization has been mythologized."
"Various ancient societies, including the Babylonian and Judaic, produced apocalyptic literature and mythology c. 2000–1500 BC."
"Recognizable modern apocalyptic novels had existed since at least the first third of the 19th century, when Mary Shelley's The Last Man (1826) was published."
"...this form of literature gained widespread popularity after World War II, when the possibility of global annihilation by nuclear weapons entered the public consciousness."
"Post-apocalyptic stories often take place in a non-technological future world or a world where only scattered elements of society and technology remain."
"The apocalypse event may be climatic, astronomical, destructive, medical, end time, or any other scenario."
"...or any other scenario in which the outcome is apocalyptic, such as the Last Judgment, Second Coming or Ragnarök."
"The story may involve attempts to prevent an apocalypse event, deal with the impact and consequences of the event itself, or it may be post-apocalyptic, set after the event, focusing on the psychology of survivors."
"The story may involve attempts to prevent an apocalypse event, deal with the impact and consequences of the event itself..."
"Considerably later, often including that the existence of pre-catastrophe civilization has been mythologized."
"Or any other scenario in which the outcome is apocalyptic, such as a zombie apocalypse, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics or alien invasion."
"Various ancient societies, including the Babylonian... produced apocalyptic literature and mythology which dealt with the end of the world and of human society."
"...at least the first third of the 19th century, when Mary Shelley's The Last Man (1826) was published."
"...this form of literature gained widespread popularity after World War II, when the possibility of global annihilation by nuclear weapons entered the public consciousness."
"Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is a subgenre of science fiction..."
"The time may be directly after the catastrophe... or considerably later..."
"Post-apocalyptic stories often take place in a non-technological future world or a world where only scattered elements of society and technology remain." Please note that the quotes provided above naturally originate from the given paragraph but may be edited slightly for clarity and coherence in the context of answering the study questions.