For its fifth and final year, the Seminar on New Directions in the Study of Religion, Monsters, and the Monstrous is hosting a panel devoted to exploring pedagogy and the monstrous followed by a roundtable discussion on future trajectories in the study of religion and monstrosity. Each of the panelists examine the role of the monster/monstrous in the classroom from various academic lenses, from the study of ancient texts to contemporary popular culture. These papers contribute to the continued development of monster studies within the larger project of the academic study of religion, with a particular focus on a consideration of how our pedagogical frameworks might be enhanced by including both monsters and the monstrous. The roundtable discussion will expand on the conclusions offered by our panelists, as well as breaking new ground in monstrous pedagogy.
Throughout cultural history the monster has always been a good vehicle for the creation of an abject other and the subsequent harm they experience that is justification because of their connection to monstrousness. Yet with the rise of cultural appreciation for the monstrous and anti-hero tropes in popular culture and media, might the monster and monster theory also become a teaching space to explore and engage differently with the monster? Might we ask why we construct monsters and how we might look differently at those who have been constructed to be monstrous? How might monster theory become a fruitful space to explore positively positionality, privilege, and intersectional otherness? How might using the construct of the monster and monster theory work as a space to upend early college students notions of prejudice and help to broaden their empathy and worldview, as well as their social and cultural awareness.
In religious history, texts known as bestiaries taught readers about strange beasts and their connection to God’s revelation in nature. These ancient texts became the artifact that helped develop pedagogy of the beast used in a new class teaching the relationship between religion and the monstrous. In the spring of 2022, a private Midwestern university launched a successful new religion course that explored the intersection of monsters, religion, and popular culture. Part of the success was due to the use of project-based learning, scaffolding, and student-centered learning to craft a monstrous midterm around the artifact of the bestiary. This paper gives an in-depth explanation of how to use the “pedagogy of the beast,” offers a qualitative analysis of student experiences (with pictures), and concludes with suggestions as to how the bestiary project might be improved for courses exploring religion and the monstrous.
This paper explores the expansive realm of horror, particularly through the lens of monsters and their emergence as an essentializing category and framing of Blackness and Black religion. Examining Them (2021) and Girl With All The Gifts (2016), I argue for the development of a Black Monster Theory, or what I have termed as Black Teratology, to provide a platform for students to analyze the varying constructions of cinematic and literary monsters. Integrating Black Teratology into the pedagogical space provides students with conceptual tools, enabling them to delve into monsters’ cultural and religious dimensions, offering a unique perspective rooted in Black religious thought and culture. This pedagogical framework redefines the category of religious meaning and Black representation, acknowledging the multi-dimensional realities embedded in the ‘real lived experiences” of Black people, unfolding in monstrous productions. Thus, it fosters a deeper understanding of the intersection between horror, race, religion, and culture.