Who owns mythological creatures? What do they do in modern literature? Based on the reemerging prevalence of mythological influences in popular culture – cf. Madeline Miller, Jennifer Saint, Rick Riordan, etc. – it can be read that monstrosity is having a cultural renaissance and reimagining. With new interpretations and uses of mythology, what happens when a lens of modern feminist or queer theory is applied to these stories?

This panel for the 2027 NeMLA Convention in Rhode Island seeks to use the following question as a guide: By using the foundational stories of the past, in what ways are modern authors using and transforming monsters from mythology in order to create a queer future? Think José Esteban Muñoz and queer futurity, Jeffrey Jerome Cohen and monster theory, and how race and ethnicity also play a significant role in producing new knowledge. While the idea of this panel was written to be specifically regarding monsters in mythology, the ‘villains’ are also on the table – not just the Minotaur and the Chimera, but also Circe, Medea, Helen; not just Greeks, but any global mythology traditions as well.

This panel presentation will ideally have four participants and a moderator / session chair who present up to 20 minutes of their original research, and then open up to cross-discussion and audience questions. While a hybrid session is also possible, participation will be preferential to in-person panel participants.

By using the foundational stories of the past, in what ways are modern authors using and transforming monsters from mythology in order to create a queer future? Think José Esteban Muñoz and queer futurity, Jeffrey Jerome Cohen and monster theory, and how race and ethnicity also play a significant role in producing new knowledge.

Please submit your abstract to https://cfplist.com/nemla/Home/S/22313 by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday 30 September 2026. 

Email Panel Chair Michael Dalpe at minotaurstudies@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.