Monsters and monstrosity

More about the book

Every culture recognizes the phenomenon of monsters—terrifying beings that embody complete alterity, challenging fundamental notions of self and identity. In Latin and Greek traditions, monsters were marvels, existing outside the natural order, created by a divinity and triggered by human actions. Identifying something as monstrous signifies its exclusion from social norms and values. The transgression evoked by monsters often reflects reactions to otherness, blurring the boundaries of humanity and culture. This topic intersects various cultural domains, including law, literature, philosophy, anthropology, and technology. In the 21st century, monstrosity symbolizes change itself. The analysis employs three theoretical approaches: psychoanalytical, representational, and ontological, focusing on technophobic, xenophobic, and superdiversity perspectives. The unprecedented phenomenon of international migration in today’s globalized world has led to the demonization of the Other, often perceived as the monster or ethnic alien. To understand this new perspective on monstrosity, one must explore its many facets, tracing its philological origins, examining Roman and classical viewpoints, Renaissance medical perspectives, religious contexts, and contemporary film representations, as well as recent ethnological, anthropological, and technological considerations, particularly regarding artificial intelligence.