Fear and Nature: Ecohorror Studies in the Anthropocene

Ecohorror is a genre that explores human fears about the natural world, featuring killer plants and animals, catastrophic weather events, and unsettling encounters with the nonhuman. It is uniquely situated to address life, art, and the dangers of scientific knowledge in the Anthropocene, and Fear and Nature brings ecohorror texts and theories into conversation with other critical discourses. The contributors make explicit connections across chapters, question the limits of the genre, and address the ways in which our fears about nature intersect with those we hold about the racial, animal, and bodily "other."

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 24 October 2023
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

Ecohorror is a genre that explores human fears about the natural world, encompassing killer plants and animals, catastrophic weather events, and unsettling encounters with nonhuman entities. It builds on popular conceptions of zoology, ecology, and the scientific process, portraying animals, the environment, and even scientists in unique ways. By addressing life, art, and the dangers of scientific knowledge in the Anthropocene, ecohorror occupies a unique position within the literary landscape.

Fear and Nature: New Readings in Ecohorror brings together ecohorror texts and theories with other critical discourses, covering a wide range of media forms, from literature and short fiction to manga, poetry, television, and film. The book spans a chronological range from the nineteenth century to the twenty-first century, highlighting the significance of ecohorror as a mode. The contributors engage in cross-chapter analyses, question the boundaries of the genre, and explore how our fears about nature intersect with those we hold about racial, animal, and bodily "others."

As a foundational text, this volume appeals to specialists in horror studies, Gothic studies, the environmental humanities, and ecocriticism. The contributors include renowned scholars and experts in the field, such as Kristen Angierski, Bridgitte Barclay, Marisol Cortez, Chelsea Davis, Joseph K. Heumann, Dawn Keetley, Ashley Kniss, Robin L. Murray, Brittany R. Roberts, Sharon Sharp, and Keri Stevenson.

Ecohorror offers a powerful lens through which to examine the complex relationship between humans and the natural world, raising important questions about our place in the ecosystem and the potential consequences of our actions. By exploring the fears and anxieties surrounding nature, ecohorror can inspire a deeper understanding of our relationship with the environment and encourage us to take action to protect and preserve it for future generations.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 151 x 230 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271090221