Monsters, Monstrosities, & the Monstrous (PCA Annual Conference)
Atlanta, GA
Organization: Popular Culture Association
Event: PCA Annual Conference
Popular Culture Association 2026 Annual Conference
Monsters, Monstrosities, & the Monstrous Area
Please join us in Atlanta, GA April 8-11 to explore the themes, influences, and impact of the monster as a cultural and historical touchstone. Across the globe and throughout the centuries, the label of monster has been invoked to separate the “natural” from the “unnatural” and the acceptable from the socially unacceptable. Whether referring to mythological creatures, the Victorian creations that have become standards through Universal film adaptations, or as a shorthand to denigrate othered peoples, the monster has no shortage of applications and, sometimes, reevaluations.
We specifically welcome papers or presentations that focus on the use of the monster as a teaching tool or educational lens.
As the term monster has a wide application, topics can be anything from the inhabitants of Sesame Street to medieval studies to medical oddities. Potential paper topics include:
- Children’s books, toys, or related media
- Film and television including remediations
- Literary texts
- Board games, RPGs, video games, and pinball
- Monsters queering societal norms and the monster as “other”
- Cryptids
- Propaganda materials
- Sideshows and oddities
Scope of the paper topics accepted under this area: from Grendel to Grover and Hannibal Lecter to high rises, topics in this area span the monstrous in form, behavior, and theory.
Submission requirements:
Please submit an abstract by 30 November 2025 (maximum of 300 words) through the PCA website: www.pcaaca.org
Please address any questions or concerns to the co-chairs at: MonsterStudiesPCA@gmail.com
Co-chairs: Colleen Karn, David Hansen, and Cassandra Karn
https://pcaaca.org/page/submissionguidelines
Colleen Karn