Shadow Animism and Ontological Xenophobia

An Anthropology of Horror

Bibliographic Data

ID2163595
AuthorsJoshua Sterlin (0000-0001-7944-5026, Twitter (United States), corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume35
Issue2
Pages158-182
Publication date2022-03-15
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueVisual Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0894-9468 • E-ISSN: 1545-5920
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/08949468.2022.2063673
OpenAlexW4283260906
LanguageEN
References cited27

By examining the Western strain of the Horror genre, I explore the dynamics that define its central character as an ontological xenophobia that must be perpetually cleansed. Beyond a sociological account I suggest we take what it contains seriously as ontological explorations. With a focus on predation as case study, I analyze the genre as conforming to the gazing relation of the Naturalistic West regarding its reversal: Animism. I conclude with the possibilities that the Animist “bubbles” displayed in Horror fiction hold out for us to shift into a register in which we can build relational competence beyond our horror

Animism · Epistemology · Iconicity · Linguistics · Racism · Sociology · Xenophobia · Anthropology · Crime, Deviance, and Social Control · Gender Studies · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Gothic Literature and Media Analysis · Philosophy

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