Monsters in popular culture

In this unit, you will examine monsters such as vampires, zombies and demons in text and on screen. Using a comparative lens, you will investigate how the figures of these fictional creatures have been continuously re-adapted in popular culture as a means of expressing, interrogating and critiquing pressing issues of the age. For example: the fear of disease and pandemics; racism, the legacies of colonialism and genocide, the limits of tolerance and the promotion of an inclusive society; the complexities of the migrant experience and relationships between the generations; and gender and sexuality. You will explore contemporary reinterpretations of monster legends across the world in a variety of media, including folklore, fiction, film, television, anime, graphic novels, and manga. The unit will focus on one monster each time it is offered.