The Forbidden Body
Sex, Horror, and the Religious Imagination
Published on 17. May 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
328 pages
978-1-4798-0311-8 (ISBN)
Description
From creature features to indie horror flicks, find out what happens when sex, horror, and the religious imagination come together
Throughout history, religion has attempted to control nothing so much as our bodies: what they are and what they mean; what we do with them, with whom, and under what circumstances; how they may be displayed-or, more commonly, how they must be hidden. Yet, we remain fascinated, obsessed even, by bodies that have left, or been forced out of, their "proper" place. The Forbidden Body examines how horror culture treats these bodies, exploring the dark spaces where sex and the sexual body come together with religious belief and tales of terror.
Taking a broad approach not limited to horror cinema or popular fiction, but embracing also literary horror, weird fiction, graphic storytelling, visual arts, and participative culture, Douglas E. Cowan explores how fears of bodies that are tainted, impure, or sexually deviant are made visible and reinforced through popular horror tropes. The volume challenges the reader to move beyond preconceived notions of religion in order to decipher the "religious imagination" at play in the scary stories we tell over and over again.
Cowan argues that stories of religious bodies "out of place" are so compelling because they force us to consider questions that religious belief cannot comfortably answer: Who are we? Where do we come from? Why do we suffer? And above all, do we matter? As illuminating as it is unsettling, The Forbidden Body offers a fascinating look at how and why we imagine bodies in all the wrong places.
Throughout history, religion has attempted to control nothing so much as our bodies: what they are and what they mean; what we do with them, with whom, and under what circumstances; how they may be displayed-or, more commonly, how they must be hidden. Yet, we remain fascinated, obsessed even, by bodies that have left, or been forced out of, their "proper" place. The Forbidden Body examines how horror culture treats these bodies, exploring the dark spaces where sex and the sexual body come together with religious belief and tales of terror.
Taking a broad approach not limited to horror cinema or popular fiction, but embracing also literary horror, weird fiction, graphic storytelling, visual arts, and participative culture, Douglas E. Cowan explores how fears of bodies that are tainted, impure, or sexually deviant are made visible and reinforced through popular horror tropes. The volume challenges the reader to move beyond preconceived notions of religion in order to decipher the "religious imagination" at play in the scary stories we tell over and over again.
Cowan argues that stories of religious bodies "out of place" are so compelling because they force us to consider questions that religious belief cannot comfortably answer: Who are we? Where do we come from? Why do we suffer? And above all, do we matter? As illuminating as it is unsettling, The Forbidden Body offers a fascinating look at how and why we imagine bodies in all the wrong places.
Reviews / Votes
"Groundbreaking, disturbing, and riveting. Cowan recognizes that horror has a penchant for being at the same time scary and sexy, and that religion likewise has a unique ability to terrify in connection with restrictions on human sexuality. The intersections and even the simple comparability of these two human phenomena has not been explored by academics, much less explored adequately. Only Cowan could write this book, and write it so well." - James McGrath, Butler University "Adds depth and texture to our understanding of horror's relation to the body and religious imagination. This is a new area of inquiry in the world of religious studies and Cowan is at the forefront as a clear authority on the questions raised by horror, popular theology, and religious studies." - Laura Ammon, Appalachian State University "Cowan has managed to write a philosophical take on what is clearly his favorite genre, inviting readers to figure out why and how they, religion and sex fit into these salacious, silly and scary stories." - Chris LaCroix (Real Change News) "Cowan successfully illuminates representations of disfigured (sexualized) bodies in the horror mode while demonstrating how the religious imagination supports or enacts these representations. The book also offers a striking perspective on the different culturally internalized fears that shape our living together and influence our daily choices, preferences, fears, and attitudes...Thanks to the appealing and entertaining way of writing, the book also stimulates curiosity for exploring the abysses in the cosmos of sexuality, horror fiction, and religion." - Katharina Luise Merkert (Reading Religion) "The Forbidden Body proceeds somewhat like a string of pearls, presenting a series of interesting insights as Cowan leads the reader through some of his favorite horror texts and what he finds sociologically significant about the way they deploy sex and raise questions about the unseen order... this is great reading for anyone hoping to produce their own scholarship on religion and popular culture." - Joseph P. Laycock, Texas State University (Nova Religio) "Horror fans will find much to be excited about in this book--perhaps in more ways than one... This is great reading for anyone hoping to produce their own scholarship on religion and popular culture." (Nova Religio) "Cowan makes a powerful case for the central position of popular culture in the study of religion and also widens the scope of what the scholar can approach as 'religion.'" (Religion) "This book is clearly original and partly strikingly convincing, arguing that more intellectual curiosity toward popular culture in general-particularly when infused by horror and sex-could help Religious Studies scholars reveal valuable insights about religious formation and imagination." (Religious Studies Review) "[Cowan] provides an equally sharp comparative analysis of depictions of witchcraft and modern-day Pagans ... Cowan fosters a move away from more conventional classifications between 'religion' and 'magic' toward more expansive interpretations of the religious imagination." (Journal of Religion & Film)More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
16 b/w illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 226 mm
Width: 151 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
450 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4798-0311-8 (9781479803118)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
05/2022
New York University Press
€23.49
Available for download
Person
Douglas E. Cowan is Professor of Religious Studies and Social Development Studies at Renison University College. Some of his previous books include Sacred Space: The Quest for Transcendence in Science Fiction Film and Television, Sacred Terror: Religion and Horror on the Silver Screen, and America's Dark Theologian: The Religious Imagination of Stephen King.