The Global Vampire: Essays on the Undead in Popular Culture Around the World

The figure of the vampire is a truly global phenomenon, with popular interpretations appearing in Europe and Asia that are distinct from any versions found in the Americas. Instead, the global vampire draws from indigenous mythology as well as popular culture, and is freed from typical readings of monstrosity and otherness. This collection features over a dozen interdisciplinary scholars reading popular texts through critical lenses that range from traditional literary studies, to video game scholarship, to ecocriticism. Challenging the field of popular vampire studies, this book asks the question: What is the vampire in different global contexts, and what does it represent?