2021 Volume 29 The JRC would like to acknowledge the support of sponsors from within the Concordia University community: Concordia Council on Student Life Concordia University Institute for Canadian Jewish Studies Department of Religions and Cultures Faculty of Arts and Science Graduate Community Building Fund Graduate Student Association Material Religion Initiative Small Grants Program We would also like to ofer our special thanks to: Dr. Carly Daniel-Hughes, our very supportive Department Chair, Dr. Hillary Kaell for all her help and guidance in planning Dr. Sarah Imhof’s visit to Concordia in September 2019, Tina Montandon and Munit Merid, administrators extraordinaire, and all our referees, readers, and everyone else who ofered their help in the publication of this edition of the journal. APeer-ReviewedAcademicJournal 2021 Volume 29 The Journal of Religion and Culture (JRC) is proudly Journal Committee produced by the Graduate Students of the Department of Religions and Cultures at Concordia University. Executive Committee Lindsey Jackson – Editor-in-Chief ©2021JournalofReligionandCulture Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec. Veronica Isabella D’Orsa – Article Editor Jordan C. Molot – Article Editor ISSN 1198-6395 Ali Smears – Article Editor Journal of Religion and Culture Volume 29 (2021) Laurel Andrew – Book Review Editor All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be used T. Scarlet Jory – Graphic Designer or reproduced in any matter without the express written permission of the editors except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles and reviews. Editorial Board For more information: Philip Auclair Journal of Religion and Culture Lucas Cober Department of Religions and Cultures (FA-101) Concordia University Colby Gaudet 1455 de Maisonneuve O., Montreal, Quebec Cimminnee Holt H3G 1M8 Gisoo Kim Elliot Mason JRC logo design: Christopher Burkart Book Design: T. Scarlet Jory Geneviève Mercier-Dalphond The font used for this journal is Century Schoolbook. Afnity Publisher was used to design the layout of this Alexander Nachaj journal. Cover photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash Faculty Advisors Lorenzo DiTommaso Hillary Kaell Marc Lalonde Norm Ravvin Contents Contents 1DiversityintheAcademy Book Reviews An Introduction from the Editor ~LindseyJackson 167 Canadian Carnival Freaks and the Extraordinary Body, 1900-1970s Articles ~ElliotMason(Reviewer) 5WhyisSatanSuchaSissy? 171 Sovereignty and the Sacred: An Exploration of the “Flaming Devil” Trope in Secularism and the Political Children’s Animation Economy of Religion ~ZacharyDoiron ~RuqaiyahZarook(Reviewer) 26 Liberation Mythology: 174 Popular Culture and the Civic The Nature and Function of Colonial Myths in Ngũgĩ’s Makarere Novels Imagination: Case Studies of ~StevenHerran Creative Social Change ~CynthiaDePetrillo(Reviewer) 58 Spectralvania: Monsters, Transgression, and Religion in 177 The Preacher’s Wife: The Netfix’s Castlevania Precarious Power of ~SethPierce Evangelical Women 85 Satan-Prométhée: Celebrities Une lecture alternative du mal dans le satanisme ~LaurelAndrew(Reviewer) contemporain ~MathieuColin Refections on the Field 182 A Note on Religion as In Conversation Symbolically Mediated 115 Sarah Imhoff Cosmoaffect ~LindseyJackson ~AntonioR.Gualtieri 126 Hillary Kaell ~LaurelAndrew 146 Russell T. McCutcheon ~LindseyJackson Steven Herran 61. Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks,(London:PlutoPress, 2008) 9. Spectralvania: 62. Peter Hitchcock, The Long Space: Transnationalism and Postcolonial Form, (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2010): Monsters, Transgression, and Religion in 186. Netfix’s Castlevania Seth Pierce Assistant Professor of Communication and Homiletics, Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska Abstract In 2017, Adi Shankar produced the Netfix adaptation of the video game Castlevania.ThegameandtheNetfix series revolve around Dracula and his horde of monsters battling the Belmont family’s legendary monster hunters. The series is one of the few critically acclaimed video game adaptation created for a major audience. The series was renewed for a second season the day the frst season released, and it has since been renewed for a third season. Producer Adi Shankar has a history of transgressive media stemming from his “Bootleg Universe”—high end fan flms that have stirred up controversy related to copyrights. He has also claimed that fandom constitutes a new religion that draws on elements of traditional religion. Castlevania’s monster mashup refects this transgressive new religion of fandom, not only in its form, but in the series’ religious themes. This article explores the popularity of the Castlevania’s monsters through the elements of spectrality, monster theory, and Adi Shankar’s claim that fandom constitutes a new religion. It argues that trauma haunts the monsters in Castlevania and the series represents a type of transgressive religious narrative that employs occult symbols to off a progressive critique hegemonic/traditional religion. Keywords: Castlevania, fandom, spectrality, monster theory, religion. In2017,AdiShankar,alongwithagroupofartists, resurrected an old (and now dead, due to Konami’s lack of support for new titles) video game franchise in the form of aNetfixoriginalseries.Thegame,Castlevania,isa decades old monster mashup involving the Belmont family’s never-ending quest to vanquish Dracula and his evil horde. The Netfix series combines the narrative from 57 JRC Vol. 29 JRC Vol. 29 58 Seth Pierce Spectralvania Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse and the art from content has not hampered its success. Despite its genesis Castlevania: Symphony of the Night—the most successful as a child’s Nintendo game, it has now contributed to the game in the franchise—into a new creature that has growing phenomena of popular R-rated flm adaptations found a home in contemporary culture.1 such as Deadpool and Joker.However,unlikeotherR- rated adaptions, Castlevania is animated. Finally, since Film adaptations of video games have a long history of Konami abandoned the series years ago, it has gained an critical and commercial failure. Recent flms such as audience with people not familiar with the series’ long Tomb Raider (2001, 2003 and 2018), Doom (2005), and history as a game. Assassin’s Creed (2016), have failed to gain critical approval, even if some have achieved fnancial success. Due to the relative lack of engagement in academia However, as Rotten Tomatoes’ contributor Alex Vo with this franchise a cultural artefact, and its newfound pointed out, “It’s always a horrible night to have a curse popularity among a general audience, it is a good time to in Dracula country, but in real life, Netfix’s Castlevania explore Castlevania and its contribution to transgressive just lifted another curse: It’s the frst video game media that both entertains and challenges viewers. This adaptation to get a ‘Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes.”2 article explores Castlevania through three lenses— Derridean hauntology/spectrality, monster theory, and This alleged “lifting of the curse” by Castlevania’s series producer Adi Shankar’s claim that fandom bestiary caught the attention of numerous critics. Ben represents a new religion. I argue Castlevania not only Gilbert writes, “Somehow, against all expectations and refects hauntological spectral dynamics that haunt the logic, the frst Netfix original show derived from a video audience and illustrate the function of monsters in game is very, very good. More impressive: The show is society; but also that Shankar’s claim of fandom as based on the Castlevania game series, a long-dormant religion is valid. Castlevania refects an appropriation of game franchise” that has a reputation of being occult symbols to challenge dominant faith narratives, “immensely diffcult to play.”3 Furthermore, Nathalie without being antagonistic towards faith in general. Medina points out that one of the voice actors, Richard Armitage, “has confrmed that Netfix’s unexpectedly delightful, dark medieval fantasy Castlevania show will be getting a third season — and the second season, Synopsis of the Night announced almost immediately after season 1’s debut, The series opens with a human woman, Lisa of Lupu hasn’t even launched yet.”4 village, venturing to Dracula’s castle to seek wisdom. After a short argument, Dracula welcomes her into his While there have been successful video game home to share his knowledge and study the various adaptations into other mediums, such as board games sciences to help people develop real medicine. She and comic books, and at least one fnancially successful encourages him to end his self-imposed exile and travel and critically acclaimed flm adaptation (The Angry Birds the world to see the good in humanity. Eventually they Movie 2,2019),Castlevania stands out as unique. First, it marry, and Dracula decides to travel while Lisa studies is produced by Netfix, which allows the creators more science. During his travels, Lisa is accused of witchcraft fexibility in terms of niche marketing (it is not a show by the Catholic Church and burned at the stake. Dracula marketed for general audiences). Second, its mature 59 JRC Vol. 29 JRC Vol. 29 60 Seth Pierce Spectralvania comes home too late to save her, and he appears as a lucidity when fghting his son, Dracula realizes the terrifying vision in the fames of the pyre and warns the monster he has truly become and welcomes death. people of Târgoviște to make peace with their God within Dracula is dead, at least for now. Season two ends with one year. In the meantime,