Secondary/Theoretical Works:
(Full Physical Book)
Walter, Brenda S. Gardenour. Our old monsters: witches, werewolves and vampires from medieval theology to horror cinema. McFarland, 2015.
(Book Chapter)
Ignatova, Polina. “Moving between Life and Death: Horror Films and the Medieval Walking Corpse.” From Medievalism to Early-Modernism. Routledge, 2018. 67-81.
(Full Physical Book)
Bishop, Kyle William. “American Zombie Gothic: the rise and fall (and rise) of the walking dead in popular culture.” McFarland & Co (2010).
(Journal Article)
Brooks, Kinitra D. “The Importance of Neglected Intersections: Race and Gender in Contemporary Zombie Texts and Theories.” African American Review, vol. 47, no. 4, 2014, pp. 461–75. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24589834. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
(Book Chapter)
Dendle, Peter. “The zombie as barometer of cultural anxiety.” Monsters and the Monstrous. Brill, 2007. 45-557.
Academic Journal:
Horror Studies (first published in 2010)
Due to most horror academic journals being relatively recent, I may survey not only the last year’s worth of issues, but additional ones. https://www.intellectbooks.com/horror-studies
Keywords/Terms:
Zombies (rather obviously)
Horror, or Horror Media (to encompass a wide range of discussions about zombie media)
Folklore, or Mythology (to get an idea of the wide range of influences on the history of the zombie)
For Context:
My list of sources is put together based on my current desire to connect recent depictions of the zombie in media (primarily American zombie media) with patterns reaching far back into medieval folklore, and what this says about our current “zombies.” I am interested in horror and monsters as a whole, but have narrowed down a particular trope that interests me. This is the “zombie,” a creature that is not only experiencing a resurgence in the video-game and film world, but has an extensive history that stretches back into numerous folk tales from varied cultures. It has been used to represent or call attention to various cultural fears or conflicts, especially contemporarily. For example, what is widely considered the first feature-length “zombie film,” White Zombie, was released in 1936 and focuses heavily on race. Zombies have called attention to slavery, disease, the “other” in general, political corruption, theological messages, and more, and additionally intersect with queer and feminist theory. They also intersect with medieval mythologies.
I want to see how these mythologies illuminate recurring patterns in contemporary “zombie” media, as well as reveal changes over time in what a “zombie” indicates culturally, especially from Europe to America/in the West. Why and how do prior conceptions of zombies connect with the current resurgence of the American zombie trope? Why are these connections important, or what do they reveal about our current complex cultural conceptions of the zombie? How have underrepresented voices played a role in the creation of and current resurgence of the zombie in American media? Additional contemporary sources will be swapped out or added, though these are some of the most prominent in pop culture.
*In talking with Professor Seiler, my academic advisor, she suggested I use this as an opportunity to pursue my interests in medieval literature outside of Medieval/Early Modern Studies classes, and consider using medieval and early modern origins of the creature as my primary sources. I think this is a wonderful idea that will help me compose criticism that indulges deeply in the history of horror media I enjoy, in medieval theology, and allow me to draw unique connections from these histories to modern horror literature. While the “zombie” may not remain my “monster” of choice, many of my questions still remain. Additionally, any “zombie”-exclusive sources on my reading list stem from larger journals focusing on a range of similar topics.