This special topics session slated for the 2016 RMMLA Convention will explore monsters in culture, literature, and media. Monster Studies is a growing sub-discipline within English and Cultural Studies. Some scholars have been incorporating monsters into their classrooms as a way to not only teach tenuous topics in a college classroom (e.g. sexism, racism, classism) but to engage students through a new, innovative topic.

This panel seeks proposals for presentations on Monster studies in general with a secondary focus on the use of monsters as pedagogical tools in the classroom. Proposals submitted for consideration will address either monsters at large or in some specific facet of the academic experience. Papers submitted can

-address the use of a particular monster (Vampire, Zombie, Werewolf, etc.) to examine cultural or tenuous topics in the classroom.
-touch on modern monsters in television, movies, books, and graphic novels, particularly new monster media like iZombie, The Originals, Vampire Diaries, Penny Dreadful, Dracula, Teen Wolf, The Walking Dead, among others.
-examine how monster theory/literature/essays can fit into an academic classroom setting
-argue for monster literature's use int he classroom as a means of maintaining student interest in required courses (i.e. freshman composition).
-examine modern monster theory as an important element of pop cultural study and relevance in an era of growing monster imagery and narrative.
-address canon or contemporary monster fictions through a particular scholarly lens
-address monster studies and intersectionality (i.e. monster studies and disability, monster studies and feminism).

Proposals are not limited to these subjects and all inquires about topics and the breadth of this category are welcomed. Abstract proposals are due no later than March 1, 2016. Please email your contact information and abstract of 250 to 350 words to ashleyszanter1@weber.edu by the specified deadline. If you have any questions about the session, please do not hesitate to ask. The conference will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah October 6-8, 2016 at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center. For information on the convention or RMMLA please visit http://rmmla.innoved.org/call/default.asp.