Theorizing Religion with Zombies
RELI 264
Spring 2025
| Section:
01
|
| Crosslisting:
AMST 265 |
| Course Cluster and Certificates: Sustainability and Environmental Justice |
This course introduces students to theories in religious studies in order to investigate the intellectual and cultural histories of two highly influential and essentially religious ideas: the zombie and the apocalypse. We will critically trace their representations in popular culture in order to explore writings in biblical narrative, history, modernity, monster theory, alterity, gender, capitalism, race, epidemiology, film theory, and media studies. We will begin with ancient texts, move to the history of the concept of the zonbi in Haiti, and then trace the trope of this modern monster and its various meanings into the contemporary moment. |
|
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS RELI |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
|
Fulfills a Requirement for: (AMST)(RELI-MN)(RELI) |
|
Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Selections from the following (no texts will need to be purchased from the bookstore)
Beal, Timothy K. RELIGION AND ITS MONSTERS. New York: Routledge, 2002.
Sarah Juliet Lauro, ZOMBIE THEORY: A READER. Minnesota Press, 2017.
Steven Shaviro, "Contagious Allegories: George Romero" in THE CINEMATIC BODY (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 82-105.
Priscilla Wald, CONTAGIOUS: CULTURES, CARRIERS, AND THE OUTBREAK NARRATIVE. Duke University Press, 2008.
Creed, Barbara, "Horror and the Monstrous-Feminine" in SCREEN
Diaz, Juno, "Monstro" in The New Yorker
Hejtmanek, Katie Rose, "Fitness Fanatics: Exercise as Answer to Pending Zombie Apocalypse in Contemporary America." American Anthropologist
|
Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly Response papers, active participation in discussion, one class opening presentation, and a 8 page final project.
We will screen 4 films outside of class |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
|
| Instructor(s): McAlister,Elizabeth A. Times: ..T.R.. 01:20PM-02:40PM; Location: RSCSEM; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 2 | JR major: 2 | | |
| Seats Available: 1 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 3 | SO: 5 | FR: 5 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 6 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 2 | 3rd Ranked: 3 | 4th Ranked: 1 | Unranked: 0 |
|
|