Imagining the monstrous other: An introduction to the research on the medicalized undead

Monsters are liminal subjects, whose ambivalent position challenges culturally established distinctions between the normal and abnormal, the ordered and disordered, and the healthy and unhealthy. They blur the lines between self and other, the familiar and the unfamiliar, and the “us” versu...

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Main Author: Mandić Marina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute of Ethnography, SASA, Belgrade 2024-01-01
Series:Glasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-0861/2024/0350-08612403219M.pdf
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author Mandić Marina
author_facet Mandić Marina
author_sort Mandić Marina
collection DOAJ
description Monsters are liminal subjects, whose ambivalent position challenges culturally established distinctions between the normal and abnormal, the ordered and disordered, and the healthy and unhealthy. They blur the lines between self and other, the familiar and the unfamiliar, and the “us” versus “them.” The indeterminacy of these categories embodies itself in what we term „human monsters” — Individuals transformed into monsters after death. These undead figures display the terrifying consequences of their transformation, primarily through their uncanny appearance and identity characteristics. This paper serves as an introduction to various perspectives on monstrous Others and the medicalization of the undead (mainly zombies). It aims to formulate initial hypotheses for researching the impacts of disease, death, and monstrous transformation, including bodily, identity, and cognitive characteristics that determine and redefine our understanding of monstrosity and humanity.
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language English
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publisher Institute of Ethnography, SASA, Belgrade
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series Glasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU
spelling doaj-art-b9c0a4e3ca1a41c68dcd8a601d73c5a52025-01-30T06:45:25ZengInstitute of Ethnography, SASA, BelgradeGlasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU0350-08612334-82592024-01-0172321924210.2298/GEI2403219M0350-08612403219MImagining the monstrous other: An introduction to the research on the medicalized undeadMandić Marina0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8689-2788Etnografski institut SANUMonsters are liminal subjects, whose ambivalent position challenges culturally established distinctions between the normal and abnormal, the ordered and disordered, and the healthy and unhealthy. They blur the lines between self and other, the familiar and the unfamiliar, and the “us” versus “them.” The indeterminacy of these categories embodies itself in what we term „human monsters” — Individuals transformed into monsters after death. These undead figures display the terrifying consequences of their transformation, primarily through their uncanny appearance and identity characteristics. This paper serves as an introduction to various perspectives on monstrous Others and the medicalization of the undead (mainly zombies). It aims to formulate initial hypotheses for researching the impacts of disease, death, and monstrous transformation, including bodily, identity, and cognitive characteristics that determine and redefine our understanding of monstrosity and humanity.https://doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-0861/2024/0350-08612403219M.pdfzombieundeadmonsterothernessmedicalization
spellingShingle Mandić Marina
Imagining the monstrous other: An introduction to the research on the medicalized undead
Glasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU
zombie
undead
monster
otherness
medicalization
title Imagining the monstrous other: An introduction to the research on the medicalized undead
title_full Imagining the monstrous other: An introduction to the research on the medicalized undead
title_fullStr Imagining the monstrous other: An introduction to the research on the medicalized undead
title_full_unstemmed Imagining the monstrous other: An introduction to the research on the medicalized undead
title_short Imagining the monstrous other: An introduction to the research on the medicalized undead
title_sort imagining the monstrous other an introduction to the research on the medicalized undead
topic zombie
undead
monster
otherness
medicalization
url https://doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-0861/2024/0350-08612403219M.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT mandicmarina imaginingthemonstrousotheranintroductiontotheresearchonthemedicalizedundead