Cambridge Scholars Publishing Exploring the Macabre, Malevolent, and Mysterious: Multidisciplinary Perspectives

In this unique volume, a number of scholars spanning diverse areas and backgrounds offer fresh insight into how perceived concepts of horror and dark subject matter influence cultures and societies around the world. The contributions here explore how topics considered disturbing, mysterious, or fascinating are found not only in works of fiction and entertainment, but also in the cultural fabrics, belief systems, artistic creations, and even governmental structures of societies. Topics discussed in this book include witchcraft, voodoo, zombies, spiritualism, serial killers, monsters, cemeteries, pop culture entertainment, and the sublime in transcendental experiences. As the academic study of horror becomes more mainstream, collections such as this are instrumental in realizing just how much it impacts our lives―past, present, future, and imaginary. Thus, this volume of intriguing and profound topics offers scholars, students, and lovers of learning a much-needed fresh and innovative intellectual exploration of the horror genre and the cultural fascination with the mysterious unknown. About the Author Matthew Hodge is an Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre at William Peace University, USA. He earned an MFA in Music Composition with an emphasis in Media Scoring from Vermont College of Fine Arts and an MA in Music and BA in Theory and Composition from Campbellsville University, USA. His work has been published in various scholarly books and journals and presented at several international conferences, and it has also earned him several awards and honors. Elizabeth Kusko is an Associate Professor of Political Science at William Peace University, USA. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Shippensburg University, USA, with a BA in Psychology and minors in Political Science and International Studies, and received her MA in Political Science from Miami University and her DA in Political Science from Idaho State University. Her work has been published in various political science journals and a recent American government textbook.