Feminist Perspectives on Contemporary Zombies, Vampires, and Witches

Radical Monstrosity in Literature, Film, and TV
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-138-90688-4
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 244 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 229 mm

Reihe: Routledge Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Literature

This book explores three monstrous figures prominent in contemporary popular culture—zombies, vampires, and witches—from a feminist perspective, visiting a range of novels, television series, and films from the 1990s-2010s. Though some popular mainstream texts (from Harry Potter to Twilight) still participate in historically inherited conventions, feminist analysis reveals that many millennial texts utilize monster-figures to critique regressive patriarchal ideologies and/or champion female monstrosity and (human) female agency. Rather than using zombies, vampires, and witches to conserve the status quo, millennial monsters and human heroes, especially female ones, are often deployed to envision a more feminist, egalitarian future with less violence and more social justice. In a culture in which post-feminist voices contend that feminists have achieved their aims and are thus no longer needed, this book argues instead that there still is a dire need for critical, active feminism. Monsters, creatures both incredibly potent and popular, can serve as conduits through which to lay bare existing problems and reveal possible ways forward. Popular texts like True Blood, Frozen, Maleficent, World War Z, and The Walking Dead use powerful female monsters and heroes not only to resist those forces that wish to maintain the status quo, but also to envision alternative socio-cultural formations. This book will contribute to essential discussions in feminism, popular culture, gender and sexuality studies, cultural studies, film studies, and contemporary literature.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Breuer, Heidi

Wilson, Natalie

Fachgebiete

• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft | Kulturwissenschaften Populärkultur
• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Literarische Gattungen
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziologie Allgemein Feminismus, Feministische Theorie
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Freizeitsoziologie, Konsumsoziologie, Alltagssoziologie, Populärkultur

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction: Feminism, The Many-Headed Monster Heidi Breuer and Natalie Wilson Part 1: Zombies 1. Zombies in Context Breuer and Wilson 2. Re-Composing Zombie Politics: Evolved Zombies and Female Saviors Wilson 3. Asexuality and the Zombie Apocalypse: The Sexual Politics of the Undead Breuer Part 2: Vampires 4. Vampires in Context Breuer and Wilson 5. Viral Vampires: The Zombification of Vampires in the Millennial Era Wilson 6. Don’t Die for Love! Challenging the Romantic Ideal of Intimate Partner Violence in Vampire Narratives Breuer Part 3: Witches 7. Witches in Context Breuer and Wilson 8. Is Maternity Still Compulsory?: Popular Witches of Millennial T.V. and Film Breuer 9. Wicked Good: Witchy Women and the Reclamation of Female Agency Wilson Conclusion: Feminism Goes Viral Breuer and Wilson

Über Autor(innen)

Heidi Breuer is Associate Professor of Literature and Writing at California State University, San Marcos, USA.

Natalie Wilson is Lecturer in Literature and Writing at California State University, San Marcos, USA.