Menacing Environments: Ecohorror in Contemporary Nordic Cinema

Nordic countries are known for their progressive environmental policies and nature-loving citizens, but they also produce ecohorror films that blur the distinctions between humans and nature in unsettling ways. Benjamin Bigelow's book "Menacing Environments" examines how ecohorror rings alarm bells about the climate catastrophe and destabilizes the two pillars of Nordic society. It suggests that the proper response to the crisis is not optimism but fear and dread, and that ecohorror is a potent vehicle for generating a strong affective response and challenging the institutions, ideological orthodoxies, and claims of cultural exceptionalism in contemporary Nordic societies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 03 October 2023
Publisher: University of Washington Press

Nordic countries, renowned for their progressive environmental policies and nature-loving citizens, have a surprising film genre that challenges the boundaries between humans and nature: ecohorror. These films, ranging from slashers to arthouse thrillers, have gained both commercial and critical attention, revealing an underlying ecophobia within Nordic culture. In his book "Menacing Environments," Benjamin Bigelow explores how ecohorror echoes the concerns raised by climate activists, advocating for a response that goes beyond optimism and sustainable development. Instead, he suggests that fear and dread are essential in confronting the ongoing climate catastrophe.

Bigelow argues that ecohorror destabilizes the two pillars of Nordic society: the autonomous individual and the sovereign state. He demonstrates how eliminating any clear distinction between human culture and the wild, untamed realm of nature serves as a reminder of the intricate and often dangerous material entanglements between humans and their environments. Through his analysis, ecohorror emerges as a powerful tool for evoking strong emotional responses in audiences while also challenging the revered institutions, unquestioned ideological orthodoxies, and claims of cultural exceptionalism in contemporary Nordic societies.

"Menacing Environments" is freely available in an open access edition thanks to TOME (Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem) and the generous support of the University of Minnesota. The book's DOI is 10.6069/9780295751658.

Weight: 320g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780295751641