Course Details

The Latin root of the word ‘monster’ means warning and horror is inescapable from social allegory as it disrupts the ‘normal’ and challenges the body. A uniquely American genre born of crime, tragedy, toilet-training, war, voyeurism, excess and mental illness, the genre of Horror attracts and repels often in equal measure. From abjection to ‘othering’—personal history fuses with political events and transitory social customs, creating an ever-changing and controversial flux of what may be deemed ‘horrific’. We will look at controversial motion pictures, court transcripts and texts (fiction and otherwise) that defy, redefine, or revisit cultural and social norms associated with horror. (First week begins online 5/26)