Whilst not a new phenomenon, horror texts from 2010 upwards abound with monsters/ghosts/demons that embody the memory of a past that is unstoppable, and consumes everybody in its path. Whether it’s zombies (Kingdom), ghosts (Oculus, The Nun), demons (Sinister, It Follows), monsters (The Silence, The Meg) or even psychopaths (The Call) the entity of evil is one that manifests a monstrous memory or traumatic history that, once released, is seemingly unstoppable and determined to kill everyone in its path until no one is left, effectively seeing the past consume the present to prevent the future.
Arguably much of this idea is seen in the religious, political and ideological extremes that are eating their way into every area of life in the 21st century trying to deny change in favour of an idealized past and traditional values. Unsurprisingly this has found expression in popular culture in general and in the horror genre in particular and so this collection will focus on how certain kinds of remembrance or toxic nostalgias take on an undead life of their own manifesting as undead creatures that find life and meaning through terror, death and destruction.
Articles are sought that discuss, but are no limited to, the following:
Theoretical framings around, and the depiction of, such monsters of undead memory.
The uses of found-footage and New Media in such narratives
Differing cultural perspectives of the types monsters created by such undead memory (Betaal, Kingdom, Cargo)
Ecological and Environmental perspectives (Creature features, contagion and plagues, monstrous plants and vegetation)
Undead memories specifically focused on ethnicity, sexuality and gender
Aliens, alternate universes, and dystopian futures that envision a return to the past and reestablishment of “traditional” values
Undead technologies that want to consume/destroy the present
Please send 300 word abstracts to Simon Bacon (
baconetti@googlemail.com) by March 31st, 2021.
