Overview

Welcome to Week 1: Introduction to Monsters and Monster Anthropology!

This week we explore what it means to be “monstrous” and why this concept matters in anthropology. Monsters are more than fictional creatures—they are cultural symbols that reflect fears, boundaries, and responses to crises such as disease or social upheaval. We’ll define key concepts like myth, monstrosity, and cultural construction, and discuss how myths shape ideas about health, illness, and vulnerability. Today’s session sets the foundation for understanding monsters as metaphors for danger and otherness. Be ready to engage in discussion and our jigsaw activity on Pacific Northwest monster stories!

Check out the lecture slides: ANTH 368 WI26 Week1 Introduction to Monsters.pdf

Selected Chapter from Montsters of the Pacific Northwest: "Bigfoot of the Cascades"

Suggested Reading: Introduction to Monster Anthropology

Musharbash, Yasmine, and Geir Henning Presterudstuen. 2020. “Introduction: Monsters and Change.” In Monster Anthropology, 1–27. London: Routledge