English - Elective Subject, topic 4: The Dark Arts in the Digital Age: An Exploration of the Otherworldly

This course will examine the cultural fascination with the supernatural from the nineteenth century to the present. It will explore a range of topics including the publication of important horror novels such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), studies of séances and psychic investigations, as well as paranormal media and its online culture. Themes such as the otherworldly, monsters, magic, and supernatural forces continue to feature regularly in our modern society. Therefore, the course asks: how does the fascination with horror manifest itself in culture? And why are humans so drawn to the dark, evil, and macabre? By delving into the intersection of science, literature, media and the occult, this interdisciplinary exploration will provide students with a deep understanding of the multiple contexts and social factors in which supernatural phenomena and the occult emerged and grew over the past two centuries. The course will have a significant Digital Humanities component that takes up around 50%.