I have a BA in Asian Studies (SMU) an MA in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature (U of M). My interests include creative writing (both teaching and writing), 20th century literature, science fiction, weird fiction, apocalyptic fiction, modernism, environment in literature, globalization and postcolonial studies, travel writing, film, graphic novels, and more. Supervisors: Dr. Diana Brydon (U of M)
Zombies have entered the realm of international politics via the Occupy protest movement. Tavia N... more Zombies have entered the realm of international politics via the Occupy protest movement. Tavia Nyong’o detailed in his article ‘The Scene of Occupation’ the march of protesters dressed as zombies, to the Bank of England, in London, on 31 October 2011. The entrance of the zombie body onto the international political scene stems from a process of trial and validation that has been circulating itself at the national level for years. Just a few recent examples include: zombies showing up to protest a shady mining deal with an art gallery in Brisbane, Australia; zombies lurching into action against a Baptist anti-gay movement in Washington; and student zombies un-livid about exorbitant transit fees in Ottawa. What better to occupy space in support of a cause than a living body? I will show why it might be an undead one. Recent post-apocalyptic fiction, and the large mainstream appetite for it, demonstrate where the threat to the existence of humanity truly lies: within. In Max Brooks’ 2006 novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the zombie infection spreads through selfishness, greed and ignorance. In Chapter Two, a human smuggler explains that in the early days of the zombie infection, he ‘made a lot of people rich: border guards, bureaucrats, police, even the mayor.’1 In a later chapter, Grover Carlson admits that assistance was denied to infected citizens living in certain economic regions: ‘In politics, you focus on the needs of your power base. Keep them happy, and they keep you in office.’2 In these and other instances, World War Z criticises our current social order. By examining this novel as well as others by David Moody and Mira Grant, along with select references to The Walking Dead and zombie films, my chapter demonstrates the role the zombie narrative plays, both politically and psychologically, in affecting social change or in revealing desire for such change.
“Riding Renga: Low Theory and Collective Critical Dissatisfaction,” is a creative-collaborative p... more “Riding Renga: Low Theory and Collective Critical Dissatisfaction,” is a creative-collaborative project written by six authors, including graduate students and non-tenured faculty. Taking our cues from J. Halberstam’s definition of “low theory,” our article explores the limits and possibilities of collaborative work in the humanities through an array of texts, approaches, and voices. We engage with a deliberate mix of “low” and “high” texts, including the works of Kanye West, Shakespeare, Derrida, the Sugababes, Donna Haraway, John Cameron Mitchell, and José Muñoz. We compare such texts not only to interrogate the divisions between low and high, but also to see what kind of affinities and subjugated knowledges may be unearthed or created in the process. The writing of the article itself—its very form—expresses our desire to think of alternative ways to conduct humanities research and build intellectual communities in the digital era.
Abstract
Zombies have exploded their fictional boundaries in what is essentially a return to thei... more Abstract Zombies have exploded their fictional boundaries in what is essentially a return to their supposed beginning in social reality. These horror icons have changed through their various manifestations in film, fiction and media, however, becoming more than just metaphor for capitalism or social conservatism. Although clear connections exist between the collective symbolism of zombies and movements such as the Occupy protests or on the other hand between zombie annihilation fantasies and colonial history, no single metaphorical interpretation seems able to contain the zombie phenomenon. They have become a powerful social technology capable of creating and dismantling meaning. This ability to simultaneously construct and destroy make zombies a powerful tool in deciphering individual transformations in post-apocalyptic fictional worlds and also a key influence in forging links between those transformations and real social change. In this chapter I argue that zombies are the same kind of ‘meaning machines’ J. Jack Halberstam discussed when she attempted to revise the definition of Gothic horror in her book Skin Shows. Via Kristevian abjection, I also explain why it is important that the Romero zombie has become the dominant cultural manifestation of this particular monster. Ultimately I examine the role the technology of the zombie plays in physically re-mapping human bodies in the post-apocalypse and do this through a sustained analysis of the AMC series The Walking Dead. I find these cartographies often transgress the boundaries of the fictional worlds they manifest in and establish themselves directly in our own social reality; this is best revealed by a sustained consideration of Afro-Orientalism as political alliance between the characters in the same television series. Finally, in attempting to demonstrate the function of zombies in these processes, I discuss unexpected but potentially important connections to the field of critical posthumanism – ending on the strange subject of zombie sexuality.
Zombies have entered the realm of international politics via the Occupy protest movement. Tavia N... more Zombies have entered the realm of international politics via the Occupy protest movement. Tavia Nyong’o detailed in his article ‘The Scene of Occupation’ the march of protesters dressed as zombies, to the Bank of England, in London, on 31 October 2011. The entrance of the zombie body onto the international political scene stems from a process of trial and validation that has been circulating itself at the national level for years. Just a few recent examples include: zombies showing up to protest a shady mining deal with an art gallery in Brisbane, Australia; zombies lurching into action against a Baptist anti-gay movement in Washington; and student zombies un-livid about exorbitant transit fees in Ottawa. What better to occupy space in support of a cause than a living body? I will show why it might be an undead one. Recent post-apocalyptic fiction, and the large mainstream appetite for it, demonstrate where the threat to the existence of humanity truly lies: within. In Max Brooks’ 2006 novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the zombie infection spreads through selfishness, greed and ignorance. In Chapter Two, a human smuggler explains that in the early days of the zombie infection, he ‘made a lot of people rich: border guards, bureaucrats, police, even the mayor.’1 In a later chapter, Grover Carlson admits that assistance was denied to infected citizens living in certain economic regions: ‘In politics, you focus on the needs of your power base. Keep them happy, and they keep you in office.’2 In these and other instances, World War Z criticises our current social order. By examining this novel as well as others by David Moody and Mira Grant, along with select references to The Walking Dead and zombie films, my chapter demonstrates the role the zombie narrative plays, both politically and psychologically, in affecting social change or in revealing desire for such change.
“Riding Renga: Low Theory and Collective Critical Dissatisfaction,” is a creative-collaborative p... more “Riding Renga: Low Theory and Collective Critical Dissatisfaction,” is a creative-collaborative project written by six authors, including graduate students and non-tenured faculty. Taking our cues from J. Halberstam’s definition of “low theory,” our article explores the limits and possibilities of collaborative work in the humanities through an array of texts, approaches, and voices. We engage with a deliberate mix of “low” and “high” texts, including the works of Kanye West, Shakespeare, Derrida, the Sugababes, Donna Haraway, John Cameron Mitchell, and José Muñoz. We compare such texts not only to interrogate the divisions between low and high, but also to see what kind of affinities and subjugated knowledges may be unearthed or created in the process. The writing of the article itself—its very form—expresses our desire to think of alternative ways to conduct humanities research and build intellectual communities in the digital era.
Zombies have entered the realm of international politics via the Occupy protest movement. Tavia N... more Zombies have entered the realm of international politics via the Occupy protest movement. Tavia Nyong’o detailed in his article ‘The Scene of Occupation’ the march of protesters dressed as zombies, to the Bank of England, in London, on 31 October 2011. The entrance of the zombie body onto the international political scene stems from a process of trial and validation that has been circulating itself at the national level for years. Just a few recent examples include: zombies showing up to protest a shady mining deal with an art gallery in Brisbane, Australia; zombies lurching into action against a Baptist anti-gay movement in Washington; and student zombies un-livid about exorbitant transit fees in Ottawa. What better to occupy space in support of a cause than a living body? I will show why it might be an undead one. Recent post-apocalyptic fiction, and the large mainstream appetite for it, demonstrate where the threat to the existence of humanity truly lies: within. In Max Brooks’ 2006 novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the zombie infection spreads through selfishness, greed and ignorance. In Chapter Two, a human smuggler explains that in the early days of the zombie infection, he ‘made a lot of people rich: border guards, bureaucrats, police, even the mayor.’1 In a later chapter, Grover Carlson admits that assistance was denied to infected citizens living in certain economic regions: ‘In politics, you focus on the needs of your power base. Keep them happy, and they keep you in office.’2 In these and other instances, World War Z criticises our current social order. By examining this novel as well as others by David Moody and Mira Grant, along with select references to The Walking Dead and zombie films, my chapter demonstrates the role the zombie narrative plays, both politically and psychologically, in affecting social change or in revealing desire for such change.
“Riding Renga: Low Theory and Collective Critical Dissatisfaction,” is a creative-collaborative p... more “Riding Renga: Low Theory and Collective Critical Dissatisfaction,” is a creative-collaborative project written by six authors, including graduate students and non-tenured faculty. Taking our cues from J. Halberstam’s definition of “low theory,” our article explores the limits and possibilities of collaborative work in the humanities through an array of texts, approaches, and voices. We engage with a deliberate mix of “low” and “high” texts, including the works of Kanye West, Shakespeare, Derrida, the Sugababes, Donna Haraway, John Cameron Mitchell, and José Muñoz. We compare such texts not only to interrogate the divisions between low and high, but also to see what kind of affinities and subjugated knowledges may be unearthed or created in the process. The writing of the article itself—its very form—expresses our desire to think of alternative ways to conduct humanities research and build intellectual communities in the digital era.
Abstract
Zombies have exploded their fictional boundaries in what is essentially a return to thei... more Abstract Zombies have exploded their fictional boundaries in what is essentially a return to their supposed beginning in social reality. These horror icons have changed through their various manifestations in film, fiction and media, however, becoming more than just metaphor for capitalism or social conservatism. Although clear connections exist between the collective symbolism of zombies and movements such as the Occupy protests or on the other hand between zombie annihilation fantasies and colonial history, no single metaphorical interpretation seems able to contain the zombie phenomenon. They have become a powerful social technology capable of creating and dismantling meaning. This ability to simultaneously construct and destroy make zombies a powerful tool in deciphering individual transformations in post-apocalyptic fictional worlds and also a key influence in forging links between those transformations and real social change. In this chapter I argue that zombies are the same kind of ‘meaning machines’ J. Jack Halberstam discussed when she attempted to revise the definition of Gothic horror in her book Skin Shows. Via Kristevian abjection, I also explain why it is important that the Romero zombie has become the dominant cultural manifestation of this particular monster. Ultimately I examine the role the technology of the zombie plays in physically re-mapping human bodies in the post-apocalypse and do this through a sustained analysis of the AMC series The Walking Dead. I find these cartographies often transgress the boundaries of the fictional worlds they manifest in and establish themselves directly in our own social reality; this is best revealed by a sustained consideration of Afro-Orientalism as political alliance between the characters in the same television series. Finally, in attempting to demonstrate the function of zombies in these processes, I discuss unexpected but potentially important connections to the field of critical posthumanism – ending on the strange subject of zombie sexuality.
Zombies have entered the realm of international politics via the Occupy protest movement. Tavia N... more Zombies have entered the realm of international politics via the Occupy protest movement. Tavia Nyong’o detailed in his article ‘The Scene of Occupation’ the march of protesters dressed as zombies, to the Bank of England, in London, on 31 October 2011. The entrance of the zombie body onto the international political scene stems from a process of trial and validation that has been circulating itself at the national level for years. Just a few recent examples include: zombies showing up to protest a shady mining deal with an art gallery in Brisbane, Australia; zombies lurching into action against a Baptist anti-gay movement in Washington; and student zombies un-livid about exorbitant transit fees in Ottawa. What better to occupy space in support of a cause than a living body? I will show why it might be an undead one. Recent post-apocalyptic fiction, and the large mainstream appetite for it, demonstrate where the threat to the existence of humanity truly lies: within. In Max Brooks’ 2006 novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the zombie infection spreads through selfishness, greed and ignorance. In Chapter Two, a human smuggler explains that in the early days of the zombie infection, he ‘made a lot of people rich: border guards, bureaucrats, police, even the mayor.’1 In a later chapter, Grover Carlson admits that assistance was denied to infected citizens living in certain economic regions: ‘In politics, you focus on the needs of your power base. Keep them happy, and they keep you in office.’2 In these and other instances, World War Z criticises our current social order. By examining this novel as well as others by David Moody and Mira Grant, along with select references to The Walking Dead and zombie films, my chapter demonstrates the role the zombie narrative plays, both politically and psychologically, in affecting social change or in revealing desire for such change.
“Riding Renga: Low Theory and Collective Critical Dissatisfaction,” is a creative-collaborative p... more “Riding Renga: Low Theory and Collective Critical Dissatisfaction,” is a creative-collaborative project written by six authors, including graduate students and non-tenured faculty. Taking our cues from J. Halberstam’s definition of “low theory,” our article explores the limits and possibilities of collaborative work in the humanities through an array of texts, approaches, and voices. We engage with a deliberate mix of “low” and “high” texts, including the works of Kanye West, Shakespeare, Derrida, the Sugababes, Donna Haraway, John Cameron Mitchell, and José Muñoz. We compare such texts not only to interrogate the divisions between low and high, but also to see what kind of affinities and subjugated knowledges may be unearthed or created in the process. The writing of the article itself—its very form—expresses our desire to think of alternative ways to conduct humanities research and build intellectual communities in the digital era.
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Zombies have exploded their fictional boundaries in what is essentially a return to their supposed beginning in social reality. These horror icons have changed through their various manifestations in film, fiction and media, however, becoming more than just metaphor for capitalism or social conservatism. Although clear connections exist between the collective symbolism of zombies and movements such as the Occupy protests or on the other hand between zombie annihilation fantasies and colonial history, no single metaphorical interpretation seems able to contain the zombie phenomenon. They have become a powerful social technology capable of creating and dismantling meaning. This ability to simultaneously construct and destroy make zombies a powerful tool in deciphering individual transformations in post-apocalyptic fictional worlds and also a key influence in forging links between those transformations and real social change. In this chapter I argue that zombies are the same kind of ‘meaning machines’ J. Jack Halberstam discussed when she attempted to revise the definition of Gothic horror in her book Skin Shows. Via Kristevian abjection, I also explain why it is important that the Romero zombie has become the dominant cultural manifestation of this particular monster. Ultimately I examine the role the technology of the zombie plays in physically re-mapping human bodies in the post-apocalypse and do this through a sustained analysis of the AMC series The Walking Dead. I find these cartographies often transgress the boundaries of the fictional worlds they manifest in and establish themselves directly in our own social reality; this is best revealed by a sustained consideration of Afro-Orientalism as political alliance between the characters in the same television series. Finally, in attempting to demonstrate the function of zombies in these processes, I discuss unexpected but potentially important connections to the field of critical posthumanism – ending on the strange subject of zombie sexuality.
This chapter appears in the book Imagining the End: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Apocalypse, Inter-disciplinary Press, 2015. Jeremy R. Strong and Thomas E. Bishop, eds.
Please find the full volume here: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/publishing/product/imagining-the-end-interdisciplinary-perspectives-on-the-apocalypse/
scene stems from a process of trial and validation that has been circulating itself at the national level for years. Just a few recent examples include: zombies showing up to protest a shady mining deal with an art gallery in Brisbane, Australia; zombies lurching into action against a Baptist anti-gay movement in Washington;
and student zombies un-livid about exorbitant transit fees in Ottawa. What better to occupy space in support of a cause than a living body? I will show why it might be an undead one. Recent post-apocalyptic fiction, and the large mainstream appetite
for it, demonstrate where the threat to the existence of humanity truly lies: within. In Max Brooks’ 2006 novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the zombie infection spreads through selfishness, greed and ignorance. In Chapter Two, a human smuggler explains that in the early days of the zombie infection, he ‘made a lot of people rich: border guards, bureaucrats, police, even the mayor.’1 In a later chapter, Grover Carlson admits that assistance was denied to infected citizens living in certain economic regions: ‘In politics, you focus on the needs of
your power base. Keep them happy, and they keep you in office.’2 In these and other instances, World War Z criticises our current social order. By examining this novel as well as others by David Moody and Mira Grant, along with select references to The Walking Dead and zombie films, my chapter demonstrates the
role the zombie narrative plays, both politically and psychologically, in affecting social change or in revealing desire for such change.
Zombies have exploded their fictional boundaries in what is essentially a return to their supposed beginning in social reality. These horror icons have changed through their various manifestations in film, fiction and media, however, becoming more than just metaphor for capitalism or social conservatism. Although clear connections exist between the collective symbolism of zombies and movements such as the Occupy protests or on the other hand between zombie annihilation fantasies and colonial history, no single metaphorical interpretation seems able to contain the zombie phenomenon. They have become a powerful social technology capable of creating and dismantling meaning. This ability to simultaneously construct and destroy make zombies a powerful tool in deciphering individual transformations in post-apocalyptic fictional worlds and also a key influence in forging links between those transformations and real social change. In this chapter I argue that zombies are the same kind of ‘meaning machines’ J. Jack Halberstam discussed when she attempted to revise the definition of Gothic horror in her book Skin Shows. Via Kristevian abjection, I also explain why it is important that the Romero zombie has become the dominant cultural manifestation of this particular monster. Ultimately I examine the role the technology of the zombie plays in physically re-mapping human bodies in the post-apocalypse and do this through a sustained analysis of the AMC series The Walking Dead. I find these cartographies often transgress the boundaries of the fictional worlds they manifest in and establish themselves directly in our own social reality; this is best revealed by a sustained consideration of Afro-Orientalism as political alliance between the characters in the same television series. Finally, in attempting to demonstrate the function of zombies in these processes, I discuss unexpected but potentially important connections to the field of critical posthumanism – ending on the strange subject of zombie sexuality.
This chapter appears in the book Imagining the End: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Apocalypse, Inter-disciplinary Press, 2015. Jeremy R. Strong and Thomas E. Bishop, eds.
Please find the full volume here: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/publishing/product/imagining-the-end-interdisciplinary-perspectives-on-the-apocalypse/
scene stems from a process of trial and validation that has been circulating itself at the national level for years. Just a few recent examples include: zombies showing up to protest a shady mining deal with an art gallery in Brisbane, Australia; zombies lurching into action against a Baptist anti-gay movement in Washington;
and student zombies un-livid about exorbitant transit fees in Ottawa. What better to occupy space in support of a cause than a living body? I will show why it might be an undead one. Recent post-apocalyptic fiction, and the large mainstream appetite
for it, demonstrate where the threat to the existence of humanity truly lies: within. In Max Brooks’ 2006 novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the zombie infection spreads through selfishness, greed and ignorance. In Chapter Two, a human smuggler explains that in the early days of the zombie infection, he ‘made a lot of people rich: border guards, bureaucrats, police, even the mayor.’1 In a later chapter, Grover Carlson admits that assistance was denied to infected citizens living in certain economic regions: ‘In politics, you focus on the needs of
your power base. Keep them happy, and they keep you in office.’2 In these and other instances, World War Z criticises our current social order. By examining this novel as well as others by David Moody and Mira Grant, along with select references to The Walking Dead and zombie films, my chapter demonstrates the
role the zombie narrative plays, both politically and psychologically, in affecting social change or in revealing desire for such change.